reply to post by wulff
Here is a website for
Advanced Training Systems International
Advanced Training Systems International, Inc. provides customized, all-inclusive fighter combat and maintenance training programs to the armed
forces of the United States and its allies worldwide.
The former Williams AFB was decommissioned long ago...in 1993. It is not an "international" airport in the sense of any regularly scheduled passenger
flights that operate to international destinations.
It opened as a civilian airport in 1994, re-named
Williams Gateway Airport, then in 2007 changed again to
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway
Airport.
The IATA code is AZA [used by airlines to identify it for their purposes], and the FAA code is
IWA, the ICAO code is
KIWA.
flightaware.com...
link to Airport Diagram
This is not likely some government plot, it is private business making profits off the need for flight training, and the USA is one option for many.
Many airlines in China are planning big expansions in size, fleets, and numbers of pilots.
Chinese airline fleet to DOUBLE to 5,000 by 2015
China also has a burgeoning airplane manufacturing sector.
'Eyes on the Skies'
You might be amazed, too, at how much they are responsible for Boeing's airliners. Boeing sub-contracts most of their parts, and then have
responsibility for final assembly.....many Chinese companies are contracted to build components and sub-systems.
Boeing 787 Highlights $600 Million in Contracts with Chinese Suppliers
(Above article is from way back in 2005).
And:
Boeing is China 's largest commercial aviation partner. Over the next 20 years, Boeing forecasts that China will need 2,300 jetliners, becoming
one of the world's largest airplane markets. Boeing has offered free training to more than 27,000 Chinese aviation professionals since 1993 including
pilots, maintenance, flight operations, quality and manufacturing personnel, executives and managers.
As far as Arizona, it is ideal for training (as you would well understand) because of the weather. In fact, Lufthansa has had facilities there (AZ,
not Williams) for a very long time:
Lufthansa Flight Training GmbH
Airline Training Center Phoenix
edit on Thu 20 October 2011 by ProudBird because: (no reason given)