Paraguayan Air Force reviews at Enaer the upgrade of its T-35 and gets to know the Pillan II

By Alfredo Eberlein

A delegation of the Paraguayan Air Force (FAP) led by its commander-in-chief, Air General Arturo Gonzalez, reviewed the progress of the modernization of the FAP’s T-35A/B Pillan at the premises of the National Aeronautics Company (Enaer) in Santiago and learned about the new Pillan II integrated flight training system at Famex 2023.

According to the FAP, on March 20, the commander in chief, accompanied by the air brigadier general Roberto Idoyaga and his entourage, made a technical visit to the facilities of the Chilean Strategic Defense Company.

There, they are carrying out the maintenance service, major repair, upgrade to B(E) standard, and incorporation of the Garmin GTN 650Xi GPS for six T-35 Pillan aircraft of the FAP Air Instruction Group.

In Enaer’s Annual Report and Financial Statements 2022, it was published that on August 17, in the city of Luque, Paraguay, the contract for maintenance services, major repairs, and modernization of the aircraft was signed.

In this line, four arrived on September 23 by land at the El Bosque facilities.

This contract, worth US$6.8 million, is for modifying up to six A4 and B5 aircraft to B(E) configuration so that the commercial link will be in force until the end of 2023.

General Gonzalez told the Zona Militar portal that two of the four aircraft in Enaer’s workshops would fly back to the Concepcion air base once the work is completed in July, in northern Paraguay to continue with the training program for FAP pilots.

Once they arrive, the remaining two aircraft will be dispatched to complete the upgrade of the six aircraft, leaving the entire fleet operational and modernized.

The commercial relationship between the FAP and Enaer led representatives of its subsidiary, DTS, to present in November the various systems designed by this subsidiary in a protocol visit to Paraguay to present the technological innovations of DTS.

This company is developing the peripheral subsystems of the new integrated flight instruction system Pillan II, which General Gonzalez could see at the last edition of the Mexico Aerospace Fair, Famex 2023.

Enaer was awarded the contract to manufacture 33 of these aircraft for the Chilean Air Force.

With information from Infodefensa

News Paraguay, English news Paraguay, Paraguayan Air Force, National Aeronautics Company (Enaer)