Airline adds 5 more pilots to its flying staff

FIVE young Air Niugini cadet pilots have successfully gained their Commercial Pilot Licenses after graduating from the Professional Pilot’s Training at Coffs Harbor, New South Wales.
They were conferred their flying wings in a ceremony at the school last week attended by family members, friends and representatives of  Air Niugini.
The five cadet pilots are Pondrilei Posananu, Tamarari Nama, Mattie Merimba, Karol Kutan and Gomara Rawali.
They started their 16-month course last April. They had returned to PNG and were trained as first officers with Air Niugini to gain aircraft-type endorsements for the Dash 8 aircraft.
Air Niugini chief executive officer Wasantha Kumarasiri in congratulating the young pilots said given the worldwide shortage of pilots, Air Niugini was committed to training its own pilots through its cadetship programme.
He said Air Niugini invested millions of kina annually to train young pilots as part of its commitment to develop the skills of PNG citizens.
“These young men are a result of such investment and we are pleased with the progress so far. They are an inspiration to us all and we wish them the best of luck as they enter the next phase of their careers as pilots.”
Since the commencement of the cadet pilot programme in 2001, Air Niugini had on average trained a minimum five cadet pilots each year.
However as of this year and for the next five years, Air Niugini would take in 10 cadets for professional pilot training.
Hundreds of young Papua New Guineans apply to the airline each year. After a rigorous selection process in the areas of academic, aptitude and personal traits, between five and 10 people are selected.
Air Niugini currently has 38 cadet pilots at various stages of training in the domestic fleet. Among them are four women including Beverly Pakii, Jacquiline Naing, Sharon Tara and Rhoda Ilave.