6 hours Ago By postcourieronline
IN the fast paced world of aviation, fuel is more than just a commodity – it’s the lifeblood that ensures operations run smooth and efficiently. Heli Solutions, a charter company, has been operating as a third level aviation company in Papua New Guinea for almost 13 years and has its main base at Kagamuga Airport in Mt Hagen. Owned by national James Pima, who like many, holds this nation to heart.
This aviation company is now facing a shortage of Jet A1 fuel for its helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. The shortage has tremendously affected their daily operations. Also, other small private aviation companies in and around the country are facing the same problem.
They have been facing this ongoing crisis for almost three to four weeks now. Heli Solutions basically provides charter services for telecommunications support, mining and exploration support, slinging & long line operations, government programs, law enforcement, VIP passenger transport, emergency response and medical evacuation, general passenger and cargo transport. Heli Solutions Ground Operation Manager Linda Wii said this issue has been faced by all aviation companies and it has come to an extent or point in which they cannot further push forward the operations as there is no more fuel available.
“We are encountering major challenges such as forex issues of remitting money overseas to purchase fuel and parts for helicopters and aircrafts,” said Ms Wii. “Everything we acquire from abroad are paid in US dollars. With the current forex situation, we have had to join the queue at the Central Bank to remit the necessary funds.
This issue is not only felt by us but all the small aviation companies like us operating in the country.” She said that the last amount of fuel left was used recently and currently there is nothing left in the main reserve fuel tanker that is provided by Puma Fuel. Furthermore, all reserve fuel drums we stock up have been used.
Food supplies that we were supposed to be transported to Simbai in the Usino Bundi District of Madang Province, is in the Pac 750 XL aircraft that is grounded due to no fuel. An emotional Ms Wii said: “We are in a Melanesian society, we the smaller airline operators have the heart of helping and sharing what little we have to make sure we keep the operations ongoing. As of today, we are no longer able to facilitate and continue on with our operation as there’s nothing left.
” The price of Jet A1 fuel has surged dramatically due to these complications. “We normally pay K4 per liter with Puma Energy but doubled by other sellers to K8. This has caused the rise in airlines ticket fares from Air Niugini, Airlines PNG and small airlines operators.
This steep increase has put immense pressure on Heli Solutions with Aero Dynamics, their planes, and other small airline operators who are also struggling to secure adequate fuel supplies. The shortage has affect Heli Solutions badly and they have grounded two of their Pac 750 aircrafts and two helicopters. As a direct consequence of this shortage, Heli Solutions has been forced to lay off workers temporarily until fuel supplies stabilises.
“We have to lay off workers due to the fuel shortage for some time and hopefully they will return them to work when the fuel arrives,” Ms Wii said. Special Projects Lead Kussy Boropi added that they basically provide services to the rural communities around the country. “The clients we serve are missionaries, teachers, health workers, sick patients, technicians, general passangers, government officials, technicians and people from different level of classes,” he said.
“From my recent visit to Goroka Airport last week Tuesday in search of Jet A1 fuel, I had noticed that an Air Niugini Q400 had been grounded due to shortage of fuel.” Adventist Aviation in Goroka were kind enough to help us with 600L of fuel to get back to Hagen. The Member for Kagua Erave Maina Pano showed up to do a run.
When interviewed by the Post-Courier team, he stated that” it’s Christmas and I’m thinking of travelling to my electorate and visit some of the projects which I’ve built but now due to the fuel shortage I suppose I will not be unable to charter a helicopter and I’m stuck here”. The helicopter charter company announced last week Thursday that it will layoff more than 50 plus employees due to an ongoing shortage of Jet A1 fuel. The decision comes as the company struggles to maintain operations in light of rising fuel costs and supply chain disruptions that have left them unable to secure necessary resources.
Ms Wii expressed deep concerns over the impact of these layoffs on employees and their families. “We cannot pay the workers and we cannot run the operations as we don’t have any fuels,” she said. “When we have fuel we make money and we pay our employees’ salaries.
“This Christmas won’t be a good festive season for the employees as they will be forced to be laid off for sometime and return to work when the fuel arrives. They’ll have to survive some how for maybe four weeks or five, depending on the supply of fuel. “We really feel for them but there’s nothing we can do about it.
The answer lies with the government and the Puma Energy which they know the disruption in the supply chain of fuel,” said Mr Boropi. He said higher authorities need to come out and shed some light on what lies ahead of us as the smaller aviation companies that reach out to the rural communities who are the majority of this nation’s population. The Post-Courier reached out to the branch manager of PUMA in Hagen but the manager stated that he is not at liberty to make a statement as they take their orders from their Headquarters in Port Moresby.
“We basically employ all Papua New Guineans down from cleaners up to engineers and pilots. We try to give back to Papua New Guinea and give opportunity for those who are unable to secure a job whether they are qualified or not qualified for the job,” said Mr Boropi. He said that it is so not good seeing workers been laid off like this as they have families to support.
“What will they tell their families about this issue. Those are some of the most impactful things that we deeply had thought about it but it is beyond our measures. “We call on the government and responsible authorities out there to at least update us with information about the causes of these shortage.
We are struggling through the darkness and yet we still don’t receive any information about it and we don’t know how long we can wait. “The rural communities, missionaries, health workers, teachers and sick patients will suffer a lot from this issue,” he said..
