Omni Helicopters announces graduation of its first Guyanese SAR crew

The graduates were awarded their qualifications at a ceremony at Omni Helicopters’ base at Ogle International Airport.

The company, which provides air mobility to the offshore sector, congratulated them, saying that the graduation ceremony “marked a significant milestone for Guyana, Omni Helicopters, and most importantly Curt Mendonca, Daniel Yorris, Ishwar Parbhu, Kevin Sawh, and Johnelle Ogle”.

The group were selected at the start of this year, through a process focused on water confidence, physical fitness, and helicopter underwater escape training.

They then went on to the Ground School, where they covered rescue equipment, techniques, and procedures, as well as crew resource management (CRM) and helideck operations.

Subsequently, they underwent simulator training in Canada for hoist emergency response techniques, before returning to Guyana where they took both a written exam and a practical test of their skills in a real SAR helicopter flying over land, sea, and vessel.

“We are incredibly proud of our new team members for their hard work, dedication, and perseverance throughout this demanding training program,” said Duncan Moore, Executive Vice President, International Offshore and Onshore, and Group Chief Operating Officer at Omni Helicopters International.

“Their commitment to excellence and readiness to respond to emergencies is a testament to their character and professionalism. We are proud to have contributed to the development of this Guyanese capability, staying true to our promise of proactively developing the nation’s aviation capabilities,” he added.