Monday January 29, 2018 Written by Rashneel Kumar Published in Local
Two staff from the Airport Authority attended the Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) seminar in Fiji last week.
Representing the Cook Islands at the seminar were Tony Wearing, director of operations, and Aitutaki Airport manager Mii Blenkarn Solomona.
The inaugural seminar which ended on Thursday (CI time) attracted 26 participants from around the region.
Airport Authority chief executive officer Joseph Ngamata said the two attended the ACI-ICAO Developing Nation Airport Seminar on aerodrome certification.
The meeting focused on aerodrome certification, compliance and audit training.
“Before an airport can be certified it needs to meet certain requirements of the civil aviation rules,” Ngamata said.
“This seminar in Fiji upskills our people and provides them a thorough understanding of the aerodrome certification process.
“This will help us in the future prepare airports for certification and ensuring that they remain certified.”
Ngamata said only Aitutaki and Rarotonga airports were required to be certified under civil aviation rules.
However, he understands other airports will be required to be certified in the near future.
Airport Fiji Ltd, which hosted the meeting, is planning on a six aviation-related seminars in an effort to ensure the airports are safe, integrated, efficient and sustainable for air travel in today’s jet age.
“Air transportation is the greatest enabler for connecting our people and our economies. In the Pacific, due to our geographical isolation, our economies are heavily reliant on air connectivity for generating trade and tourism for economic growth.
“It is important that we continue to upskill our people through such trainings,” said AFL executive chairman Faiz Khan at the opening of the seminar earlier this week.
Representatives from Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga attended the seminar.
