Farewell to Capt Aria Bouraga
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Farewell to a high flyer
By TRAVERTZ MABONE
AIR NIUGINI bid farewell to one of Papua New Guinea’s pioneering pilots last Friday.
Capt Aria Bouraga had his “wings clipped”, so to say, after 40 years of flying, 35 of them dedicated to Air Nuigini, during which he clocked 23,000 hours of flying.
Air Niugini staff welcomed him home after his final flight from Lae with a traditional wash down at the Jackson Airport in Port Moresby.
In leaving, Capt Bouraga said he was proud of being able to remain with the national airline since its inception in 1973 and encouraged young national pilots to take pride in their job and uphold the high standards of both personal and professional behaviour.
His last flight was a sad but memorable one and a special one as well as he had the privilege of having Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane on board and also his nephew Gari Bouraga as the co-pilot.
Sir Paulias congratulated Capt Bouraga and said he was proud of him as one of the first Papua New Guinean pilots and thanked him for his many years of service.
President of the Pilots Union Capt Mark Storr said he was proud of Capt Bouraga as he was “part of the first group of young Papua New Guineans to discover the mystery of flying” and thanked him for paving the way.
Capt Bouraga said: “After 35 years in the air, I finally would like to place my feet on the ground at my home in Gabagaba village, Rigo, Central province.”
He said he was glad to serve PNG as a pilot with Air Niugini and thanked all the pilots for the time they spent flying as those were the happiest days which will remain with him.
From todays National.