Latest update April 7th, 2025 6:08 AM
19-year-old is first locally trained and certified helicopter pilot
Captain Ally and Director of the GCAA, Egbert Field. (Photo Credit: Air Services Limited)
Kaieteur News – Captain Azam Ally, a 19-year-old who hails from the Essequibo Coast, has made history for being Guyana’s first locally trained and certified helicopter pilot.
He was honoured by the Ministry of Public Works yesterday during a ceremony, which saw the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill; the Director of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Field, and other senior officials in attendance. During the ceremony, Edhgill stated that his accomplishment is an inspiration to all young professionals as he presented the young man with a plaque.
Captain Ally who is employed with a local air service provider, Air Services Limited, was born on May 12, 2001 at the Suddie Hospital on the Essequibo Coast. He first attended the Good Hope Nursery School, then the Aurora Primary School where he graduated as the school’s Valedictorian in 2013.
Captain Ally and the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill (Photo Credit: Air Services Limited)
Captain Azam Ally and his plaque from the Ministry of Public Works (Photo Credit: Air Services Limited)
He secured a place at President’s College when he wrote the National Grade Six Assessment but decided that he would attend the Abram Zuil Secondary School. After he wrote his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination in 2018, he obtained five grade ones, two grade twos and one grade three.
He subsequently relocated to Georgetown to live with his grandfather after sitting his CSEC examination and spent three months working as an office clerk. Then in 2019, he got the opportunity to gain experience in the maintenance department of Air Services Limited and spent one year there. He first started as a trainee air mechanic in the Aircraft Maintenance Department but was later assigned to the Rotorcraft Maintenance Programme where he gained the foundational expertise in rotorcraft maintenance.
He completed that one-year training earlier this year and in August, he was given the opportunity to begin training as a Helicopter Pilot. He started his training on August 3, under veteran helicopter pilot, Captain Buddy Chance.
The teen did his first solo flight on September 3, then a private pilot check ride on December 8 with Captain Chris Kirkcaldy of the GCAA and that too was successful.
Ally has been licensed as a private helicopter pilot in Guyana at only 19 years of age. The young man’s family, as well as the management of Air Services, are said to be extremely proud of his accomplishment.
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