Aviation college creates pathway for pilots and maintenance engineers

TRANSPORT and Civil Aviation Minister Walter Schnaubelt has commended Acatech Aviation College for creating an avenue to train young Papua New Guinean pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers in the country.
“I am pleased to announce that Acatech Aviation College has entered PNG to train our next generation of aviators,” Schnaubelt said during a recent tour of the colleges’ hangar at Jackson Airport and its main campus at Gordon in Port Moresby.
“In the past, it pays big to go abroad to train to become a pilot or aircraft maintenance engineer, but now the trainings can be attained in the country through the Acatech Aviation College.
“Under my watch as the minister responsible for transport and civil aviation, we will strive to make PNG the aviation hub of the Pacific.
“Acatech holds the distinction of being the first PNG-based part 141 aviation training organisation, offering courses for both aircraft maintenance engineering and commercial pilot training.
“With the increasing number of school-leavers in PNG and the projected global shortage of licensed aircraft maintenance engineers and pilots by 2030, it is imperative that we invest in training programmes like those provided by Acatech.
“Our strategic focus should include increased awareness in high schools about careers in aviation, attracting local and foreign investors to open more aviation training schools, providing incentives for training organisations to expand, and positioning PNG as a supplier of aviation human resources to the global market.”
Schnaubelt said PNG has 1,123 licensed pilots, 646 licensed engineers, 21 AOC (air operator certificate) holders, and two other Part 141 Aviation Training organisations.