Air Niugini Invests in Pilot Cadets

Air Niugini has sent four pilot cadets to a training academy in Adelaide, Australia, as part of an in-house program to overcome a pilot shortage.

Christopher Morea Saisagu, Salmon Ephraim Hans, Daera Konio Reid, and Eruel Toovey Verave flew out of Port Moresby (POM) on May 10 to start 18 months of training at Flight Training Adelaide, based at Parafield Airport (PAL).

Air Niugini’s cadet pilot recruitment campaign attracted thousands of applications from across Papua New Guinea. Shortlisted candidates underwent an intensive evaluation, including academic assessments, internal aptitude tests, and interviews conducted by Flight Training Adelaide and Air Niugini.

Air Niugini’s CEO Gary Seddon said the airline was making a significant investment in the cadets. He said that by the time the cadets are fully trained, Air Niugini will have invested the local equivalent of USD240,00 in each of them.

“Do not take this opportunity lightly,” he told them. “Air Niugini is making this substantial investment to ensure your dreams become a reality. We want you to succeed and return to work with us.”

Upon successful completion of their 18-month training, the cadets will graduate with their commercial pilot’s licence and multi-engine instrument rating. They will then return to Air Niugini to continue their in-flight training as cadets.

Air Niugini’s cadet pilot program was reintroduced in 2023 by the current CEO after an eight-year break.

“There is a global shortage of experienced pilots,” said Seddon. “Air Niugini is innovating and developing the next generation, future-proofing our long-term requirements.”

Air Niugini is assembling another group of pilot cadets with qualifications and some experience for the next cadet intake. These are pilot candidates who have previously received their private pilot license and commercial pilot license but have very limited flight experience.

Since the cadet pilot training program started, Air Niugini has graduated 84 national pilots who now fly for Air Niugini and major airlines worldwide.

Photos: Airbus, Air Niugini