Omni Helicopters International (Omni) and its subsidiary Omni Helicopters Guyana Inc. (OHGI), announced a historic milestone: The successful completion and graduation of the first training phase by its inaugural ab-initio pilots, Somant Heeralall and Yadram Ramcharran.
Their graduation ceremony was held Aug. 20 at Kesi Adele Adams Memorial Heliport, Ogle, with distinguished guests in attendance. In addition to recognizing Heeralall and Ramcharran, the ceremony also celebrated Guyanese engineering apprentices and search-and-rescue (SAR) rear crew.
These two milestones demonstrate the potential of Guyana to become regional standout in aviation.
In January 2023, Omni commenced operations in Guyana, with the vision of identifying and investing in talent and striving for an all-Guyanese operation.
The first step to achieve this goal was to create sponsorship support for the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School. This was followed by the recruitment, development, and training of SAR rear crew, the selection of engineering apprentices and the ab-initio pilots.
Two and a half years later in 2025, in addition to these focused talent development efforts, the Omni team consists of 75 Guyanese, making up to 65 percent of the overall company workforce.
“We are extremely proud to be building a truly Guyanese operation. Our approach to operating in this country is driven by our core values and a set of key behaviours that we call ‘The Omni Way.’ The Omni Way is all about a creative, proactive mindset; shared learning and collaboration across the value chain; transparency with all our stakeholders; as well as focus on sustainability and technology,” said Sean Western, country manager.
Ramcharran and Heeralall left Guyana in June 2024 to undergo 13 months of intensive training at a premier flight training school the U.S. Their return marks the first step in their journey to becoming the first-ever Guyanese offshore oil and gas helicopter pilots.
Heeralall and Ramcharran have earned their commercial helicopter pilot licenses with instrument flight ratings, equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to meet the demanding standards of offshore helicopter operations.
With this accomplishment, they now advance to the next stage of training on larger offshore helicopters. On completion, they will join OHGI’s offshore operations team, building the country’s legacy of safety, excellence, and innovation in aviation.
“This is an important milestone for Omni and the aviation community in Guyana. We welcome Somant and Yadram to our team as the nation’s first offshore pilots,” said Duncan Moore, chief safety officer at Omni Helicopters International.
“We are confident their talent, dedication, and passion for aviation will not only drive them to great success but also inspire other Guyanese to pursue a career in flying. Creating opportunities for our national team remains a top priority, with more than half of our workforce already proudly Guyanese. We will complete our goal of building a strong core Guyanese aviation team.”
This press release was prepared and distributed by Omni Helicopters International.
