Student signs agreement to train as pilot

National

A student from the Sinasina-Yongomugl district in Chimbu signed an agreement with local MP Kerenga Kua and Air Nuigini to train under the Air Nuigini’s cadet pilot programme in New Zealand.
Daniel Jack, 26, Terabona village of Tabare LLG, was the successful applicant and met the requirements.
He was the third student to be sent for training under the joint agreement between the Sinasina-Yongomugl district and Air Nuigini to co-sponsor a student from the district.
Kua said the exercise in the district was not simply for the purpose of promoting a young man or woman into the aviation industry as a pilot with the assistance of Air Nuigini but served to inspire other young children to aim high.
“They need somebody to be flown as a flag in front of them as role model to demonstrate that certain things which are before were not possible. But they are possible because they can see somebody in their age group achieving targets which previously they thought were closed doors,” he said
“We want to motivate thousands of other young Sinasina-Yongumul children who are in school at different levels and as young professionals to reach out and try to achieve more, this is a young country.
“We all need to contribute in building up a lot of professionals. Every district has that responsibility and my district also needs to contribute and on that note I have been grateful for the partnership.”
Air Nuigini executive manager flight operations Captain Samiu Taufa said the electorate funded the student fees to attend the flying school and the student’s necessary needs while studying would be met by the airline.
He said Jack would attend the Nelson College of Aviation and would undergo an 18-month training and would be under constant monitoring by Air Nuigini to ensure he completed his studies and met all necessary requirements.
“We are always very proud in training our young pilot cadets, engineering cadets and ground cadets and Air Nuigini invests heavily in training. We  spend about K20 million a year in training our technical staff, our ground staff,” Taufa said.