Pictured: (L-R) Pilot cadets Stephen Nialir, Edward Bare, Vincent Yandawai, Emmanuel Kukyuwa, Air Niugini’s GM Flight Operations and Training Captain on B767, Capt. Samiu Taufa, Pilot cadet Shirley Ambang, A/CEO Gary Seddon, Pilot Cadets Wari Willie and Thaddeus Kobal during the signing of their contract last Friday.
Seven young Papua New Guineans who are part of Air Niugini’s National Pilot Cadet Program left Port Moresby over the weekend to commence their initial 18-months pilot training at Flight Training Adelaide, in South Australia.
Stephen Nialir, Vincent Yandawai, Shirley Ambang, Edward Bare, Emmanuel Kukyuwa, Thaddeus Kobal and Wari Willie were selected after passing rigorous and thorough selection criteria.
Air Niugini stated that from over 3,000 young men and women nationwide that applied to secure a spot in the airline’s pilot cadet program in December last year.
Those shortlisted went through an intensive selection process which included academic ability, internal aptitude tests and interviews conducted by both Flight Training Adelaide and Air Niugini to ensure only the top performing candidates were selected.
Air Niugini’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gary Seddon while meeting with the seven cadets and their parents to sign contracts last Friday, made it very clear that by the time, the cadets get checked in line, the airline would have invested a million kina on each of them.
He urged the young people to stay focused and disciplined, adding that Air Niugini expects nothing but excellence and professionalism.
Following the successful completion of their 18 months training, the cadets will graduate with their Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) and multi-engine instrument rating. They will return to Air Niugini and continue their inflight training as Cadets.
Air Niugini’s cadet pilot program was reintroduced last year (2023) by the Acting CEO, after an eight-year break in the program.
Since the inception of the cadet pilot training program, Air Niugini has
graduated 84 national pilots who now serve in the flight crew of all Air Niugini’s aircraft and major airlines around the world.
