PNG is definitely one of the most breathtaking tourist destinations from all over the world. Located to the north of Australia, Papua New Guinea represents a unique landscape with hundreds of wild offshore islands, exotic flora and fauna specimens and the amazing primitive village cultures. Contained entirely within the hot tropics and surrounded by deep oceans, PNG?s clime is characterized by hea
vy rainfall seasons and high temperatures all year round. This young and wild region is continuously changing, partly because PNG has numerous active volcanoes that mould the region with earth movements, ash and hot lava, all along the eastern and western coasts. This is why exploring this wonderful part of the world is possible mainly by air. Traveling in Papua New Guinea by air can be an exciting experience, and the PNG pilots are well- aware of this fact. Fortunately, the future of PNG aviation is a bright one, as the rugged terrain and the limited number of practicable roads will ensure aviation is a key mean of transportation for many years to come. Papua New Guinea's biological diversity of the flora and fauna can be encountered as one travels from the coastal regions across lowland flood plains of swamp, open grass and into the forested slopes and mountains offer visitors a seemingly unending variety of scenery. The PNG aviation has a long a rich history of great people that have devoted their lives to the blue skies of Australia and PNG. In fact, many Australian and New Zealand pilots have started their careers as PNG pilots, because this is a region that operates a large number of small aircraft services.
* The first flying instructor in PNG was Barry Awui, in 1972, and Aria Bouaga and Minson Peni were the first pilots that have obtained a commercial pilot's licence.
* The first airline ever founded in PNG was Morelae Airlines, founded by Ray Parker and P.J.McDonald.
* Famous Amelia Earhart is also a part of the PNG aviation history; it is said that the last place she took off while going around the world before disappearing without a trace was Lae. This is part of the reason why the inaugural flight was performed by a Fokker F27 from Port Moresby to Lae, after the ceremony at Jackson?s Airport on the 1st of November 1973. Some of the airlines that operate in the PNG area are: Air Niugini, Sunbird Aviation, Tropic Air, Airlines of PNG (or the MBA).
* AIR NIUGINI was founded back in 1973 and it was actually the National Airline of PNG. Initially there were several founders of Air Niugini: the local government had 60% of the shares, while the TAA, Quantas and Ansett hold the rest of the shares. In 1976, the PNG government bought out the holdings of TAA and Quantas, ending its takeover in 1981, when it has become the major holder of Air Niugini.
* An Australian by birth, Sir Ronald Dennis Buchanan is one of the great names of the PNG aviation; ever since he bought TAL in 1958 (the company was founded back in 1952). The success of TALAIR was rewarded in 1975, when Buchanan received an MBE (Member of the British Empire award) for services to tourism. The airline company served up to 130 destinations on over 400 daily sectors, making Sir Dennis one of the few pilots who made money from exercise.
- You can find out more about the PNG aviation history by reading the 'Balus' trilogy by Ian Sinclair, some of the best accounts of PNG's aviation history. PNG flying can be one of the most rewarding and challenging adventure a pilot can ever experience. It's true that eco-tourism and eco-travel is an ever growing industry in Papua New Guinea, and numerous tourists are yearly drawn by the exotic flavour of the region. It's time for us to show the world the beauty of Papua New Guinea and learn more about this exciting form of travel. You will have the opportunity to check out stunning pictures of the natural landscape, find out more about the local economy, taxes and tourism operators.
