Omni Helicopters Guyana, a subsidiary of Omni Helicopters International, is developing its own helicopter pilots with the selection of two Guyanese citizens and employees to learn to fly helicopters. Somant Heeralal and Yadram Ramcharran will soon begin ab initio training at Hillsboro Aero Academy’s helicopter pilot school in Troutdale, Oregon.
The two trainees will spend 16 months earning their commercial pilot certificates and instrument ratings. The selection process included aptitude, psychological, and medical tests, as well as helicopter underwater escape training.
After graduating from the Hillsboro Aero Academy course, both will gain flight experience with Omni and then move into the company’s larger helicopters used for offshore operations.
“This is an important milestone for [Omni] and the aviation community in Guyana as we welcome Somant and Yadram to our team as Guyana’s first offshore ab initio pilots,” said Duncan Moore, CEO of offshore and onshore international at Omni. “We are confident that their talent, dedication, and passion for aviation will drive them to great things and also be an inspiration to others in Guyana seeking a flying career. Creating new opportunities for our national team remains one of our key priorities and adds to more than half of our workforce who are already from Guyana. We will continue to make these investments in service of the goal of one day having an entirely Guyanese team.”