Proposal made for aircraft engineering course to save costs

A LICENCED aircraft engineer has proposed to the Port Moresby Technical College to teach aircraft engineering.
Regional Aviation Academy principal and executive director Nick Kuiaha presented a proposal last week to the college to revive aviation training in the country which was last conducted in 1987 by the PNG military.
He said providing aviation training would cost less for students than going abroad.
“The demand for aircraft engineers and pilots is very high. And that is when Pom Tech collaborates to teach the aviation courses,” he said.
The objectives of the Regional Aviation Academy relate directly to the national government’s development priorities which include:

• Private sector-led economic growth;
• Improvement in the quality of life;
• Empowering Papua New Guineans and improving skills;
• Supporting other areas of the MTDS by providing quality and affordable technical education; and
• Supporting localisation of the aviation industry which is dominated by expatriates.

“I was second in the flight military to come and teach here and of course to go and teach aviation in the military but that was when the aircraft school was closed down in 1987,” Kuiaha said.
“One of my ex-students is the governor now for Central province and was in the last lot I taught. So in year 2000 I went back to the Civil Aviation College and started the school (RAA).”
Students who wish to study aircraft engineering must do well in maths and physics, Kuiaha told The National.
Maths and physics will be taught for upgrading students who come from rural areas and wish to study in the aviation industry, he said.