E’bo teen first locally trained helicopter pilot

BECOMING a certified helicopter pilot is “a dream come true” for 19-year-old Captain, Azam Ally, who created history by being the first person to receive his training and certification right here in Guyana. Previously, aspiring pilots had to secure helicopter training overseas. On Wednesday, Ally’s historic achievements were honoured by way of a simple ceremony hosted in the boardroom of the Ministry of Public Works, where he was presented with his ‘license to fly’ by Senior subject Minister, Juan Edghill. “I feel very honoured,” Ally said, upon receiving his certification. Reflecting on his journey, Ally said that he had always admired the field of aviation, and was determined to pursue it when he grew up. “Also, I always looked up to my brother, who is just a year older than me. He is a pilot too, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps,” Ally told the Guyana Chronicle. At Wednesday’s ceremony, Ally’s brother, aircraft pilot, Mirza Ally, looked on with pride as his younger sibling also collected a plaque bearing a personal letter of commendation from Minister Edghill. Both brothers are attached to Air Services Limited.

The younger Ally started his aviation career in 2019 as a trainee aircraft mechanic in the aircraft maintenance department of Air Services Limited. After a successful stint, Ally was assigned to the rotorcraft maintenance programme, which provided him with the foundational knowledge of rotorcraft maintenance. In 2020, upon completion of one year in maintenance, Ally was given the opportunity by Captain Mazahar Ally to begin training as a helicopter pilot. His training commenced on August 3, under the tutelage of Captain Buddy Chance, a veteran helicopter pilot, and one of two approved helicopter flight instructors at Air Services Limited. Director-General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, Lt. Col. Egbert Field (ret’d) maintained that all the training was done in Guyana. He related that Ally successfully accumulated 50.2 hours of flying, 12.2 of which were done solo. “These hours are very important when it comes to licensing our pilots… he also had to do our written exams…He had to undertake 100 questions,” Field said.

He related that Ally secured 92 per cent passes in the examinations, a score that is considered a very high ranking for any aviation examination. Ally’s Initial Flight Training was done on the Robinson R-66 Helicopter and on September 03, 2020, he did his first solo flight. This was followed on December 8, 2020, by his private pilot check ride with Captain Chris Kirkcaldy of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). This was also a success, qualifying Ally for his pilot’s licence. “This is to fly private helicopters,” Ally told the Guyana Chronicle. He said that while securing this licence is a major accomplishment, he does not plan to stop there. Ally’s next step is to pursue a licence to fly helicopters for commercial purposes. Such trainings are not yet offered in Guyana, and would have to be done overseas. In wrapping up his remarks at Wednesday’s ceremony, Ally expressed appreciation to all those who have helped him turn his dream into a reality – his mother, grandmother, aunt, and brother, as well as his trainers and mentors at Air Services Limited.