Their graduation ceremony was held on 20 th August at Kesi Adele Adams Memorial Heliport, Ogle, with distinguished guests in attendance. In addition to recognizing Mr. Heeralall and Mr. Ramcharran, the ceremony also celebrated Guyanese Engineering Apprentices and Search & 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 Search & Rescue 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% 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.
Our pilot’s training Mr. Ramcharran and Mr. Heeralall left Guyana in June 2024 to undergo 13 months of intensive training at a premier flight training school the USA. Their return marks the first step in their journey to becoming the first-ever Guyanese offshore oil and gas helicopter pilots.
Mr. Heeralall and Mr. 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.
Duncan Moore, Chief Safety Officer at Omni Helicopters International, said “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”
“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.”
About Omni Helicopters International: Omni Helicopters International Group (OHI) stands at the forefront of Latin America's air mobility and delivery solutions sector. As the region's largest provider of these services, OHI caters to diverse customer groups across multiple segments, ensuring seamless and efficient solutions.
Through its subsidiaries Omni Taxi Aéreo in Brazil, Omni Helicopters Guyana Inc., and Omni Helicopters International Mozambique, OHI offers unmatched capability and capacity to serve offshore customers in the fastest growing offshore energy markets. The company's extensive portfolio includes Crew Change, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Firefighting, Search and Rescue operations, as well as highly specialized Cargo and Utility services in remote and challenging locations.
In line with its commitment to innovation and sustainability, in the recent years OHI has introduced two groundbreaking ventures: OHI Unmanned, a specialist division focusing on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) services, and Revo, a premium advanced air mobility (AAM) solution provider.