Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

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.”

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Omni Helicopters Picks Two Employees for Ab Initio Helicopter Training

The rigorous selection process involved nearly 20 candidates

Omni Helicopters Guyana employees Somant Heeralal and Yadram Ramcharran will soon begin ab initio training at Hillsboro Aero Academy’s helicopter pilot school.

Omni Helicopters Picks Two for Ab Initio Helo Training

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In this article

Hillsboro Heli Academy

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