KOTA KINABALU: KKIP Aerospace Training Centre (KATC) is on track to become a licensed centre of excellence on composite repair facility for French company GMI AERO SAS in Sabah and Asia.
KATC chief executive office Aminuddin Zakaria said the centre aims to train Sabahans to become composite repair specialists, establish a research and development laboratory for solving aviation and non-aviation composite products, create job opportunities as well facilitate knowledge and technology transfer.
The objective is in line with the Sabah government's promotion of science, technology and innovation to improve the economy of the local community, he said.
To achieve the objective, KATC has signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) with GMI AERO SAS France and Hypercoat Sdn Bhd at KATC's Sepanggar facility here today.
The event was witnessed by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister cum Industrial Development Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
The MoU outlined that KATC, GMI and Hypercoat will explore the opportunities of development, implementation and promotion of composite repair technology and innovations on aeronautical and non-aeronautical products in Borneo and around Asia.
KATC will produce certified GMI licence approval holders to authorise them to perform work on aeronautical and non-aeronautical composite products geared towards creating expertise and job opportunities for Sabahans.
At the same event, KATC also received a certificate of registration for its autogyro cavalon aircraft from Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) regional director Johnli Idek.
Registered as 9M-ECC, the autogyro is the first of its kind in Malaysia. Its two-seater design can fly up to a range of 800km with a maximum speed of 160kph. It has a flight time of around five hours using RON95 fuel.
"We are currently applying for a permit-to-fly and to establish our own flying academy towards the end of 2022," said Aminuddin.
KATC is also planning to establish an aviation sport club in Kota Kinabalu to promote recreational sports activities, tourism, surveillance, search and rescue (SAR) operations and transportation.
KATC hopes its initiative to build a strong science, technology and innovation foundations in Sabah could help expedite the vision to become an aerospace technological company by 2026 led by Sabahans.