PNG Air Volume 43

Fijian aviation trainer Eremasi Drodrolagi has spearheaded the opening of the new PNG Air Training Academy in the grounds of the airline’s head office at 7 Mile

dedicated to the aviation sector, he

an airline spokesman said. “He was a one- man team.” Eremasi said the academy aimed to empower local operators by introducing training that would enhance skillsets in crucial areas. “The dangerous goods training program goes beyond aviation, successfully addressing the training requirements of both maritime and land transport sectors,” he said. PNG Air celebrates certification PNG Air has reached a significant achievement by obtaining its inaugural Standard Aviation Training Organisation Certificate or SATOC. The SATOC will be added to other certificates held by the airline including: the Air Operator Certificate (AOC), the Maintenance Organisation Certificate (MOC) and the Supply Organisation Certificate (SOC). Kudos to everyone who contributed to this remarkable milestone for the airline!

has devoted over two decades to inspiring others as an instructor at aviation training institutes. Eremasi’s impressive journey since attending flying school in Fiji in the early 90s includes 20 years of service with Air Pacific (now Fiji Airways, and the flag carrier of Fiji), a tenure with PNG Air when it was Airlines PNG from June 2013 to April 2015, and almost 10 years at Air Niugini’s Aviation Training Centre from 2015 to last year when he returned to PNG Air. His latest stint at PNG Air has involved establishing the new PNG Air Training Academy which has enabled the airline to achieve Standard Aviation Training Organisation Certificate (SATOC) status – an inaugural milestone for PNG Air. “After the renovations to the building were done, Eremasi was the one who pushed all the paperwork across the line to get the academy up and running,”

PNG Air Training Academy opens The PNG Air Training Academy was launched earlier this year at the airline’s head office at 7 Mile, dedicated to delivering top- notch aviation training programs to various operators within the industry, including other domestic airlines, regional airlines and the mining industry. The mission of the academy is to elevate the safety and operational proficiency of aviation personnel by imparting crucial customer service and other skills and knowledge essential for their responsibilities. The academy will present a diverse array of training options, including ground school

courses and specialised workshops, ensuring flexible learning solutions that cater to the unique needs of our clients. Among the courses will be dangerous goods handling, aviation security, general instructors’ techniques, non-technical skills (human factors), ramp safety, emergency response plans and crew procedures, firefighting and smoke evacuation, safety equipment and safety management systems training. Training manager brings new skills Eremasi Drodrolagi, hailing from Fiji, possesses an unwavering passion for aviation. With a remarkable 33 years

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