MEDIA RELEASE

19 November 2009

SOLOMON AIRLINES LIMITED UNDERTAKES TRAINING ON THE DASH8

Solomon Airlines announced that it has sent three (3) flight attendants to Port Moresby for training on the Airlines PNG Dash8 aircraft in preparation of a possible long term arrangement for the Dash8 operations in Solomon Islands.

The Flight Attendants have been undergoing training for the past 3 weeks and involves being aligned to the Airlines PNG standards that is governed by CAA of PNG (Civil Aviation of PNG) as the aircraft is a PNG registered aircraft and will remain so for the duration of its lease.

The training will involve basic Aircraft endorsement and policies and procedures of Airlines PNG together with further training in First Aid; Emergency Evacuation and service standards on board as this aircraft only requires one (1) flight attendant on each flight.

The three cabin crew identified will give Solomon Airlines a seven day operation and will cover sick; and or recreational leave and days off.

The three selected crew include Carol Wickham; Paul Boka and Gordon Vuguni whom have all been internationally trained and very experienced flight attendants.

It is anticipated that once trained, and subject to their line training and release within the Airlines PNG system, they will accompany the aircraft on its delivery flight from Port Moresby to Honiara on or around the first week of December 2009. The airline indicated that although the final signature is as yet to be applied to the agreement, most of the technical and terms of the contract have been basically agreed to and Solomon Airlines is awaiting the final contract expected this weekend.

The airline indicated that when the final agreement has been executed, a new schedule will be immediately put into place from the beginning of December, or thereabouts, to cater for the immediate high internal Christmas travel expected.

The airline spokesman said Management “congratulated the crew as, according to Airlines PNG reports, they are doing extremely well to date and do not foresee any problems with their qualification on this aircraft type in the near future”.

MEDIA RELEASE

23rd November 2009

PILOTS UNDER TRAINING ON DASH 8

The announcement last week regarding cabin crew training on Airlines PNG’s Dash8 aircraft has now been followed by an announcement from the National Carrier that two (2) of its senior pilots have also been selected and sent for Dash8 pilot training.

Similarly, and following the regulations of CAA-PNG and Airlines PNG standards, Solomon Airlines indicated that the two pilots, Captain Cornelius Vonseau and Captain Scott Gamiandu were selected to train on the Dash8 aircraft up to First Officer standard initially whilst they gain this aircraft type experience over a set period of time.

The two pilots have been in PNG for the past 2-3 weeks undergoing PNG regulations conversions and also initial Airlines PNG induction and introduction to the Dash8 and APNG procedures.

They are currently undergoing a ‘Dash8 Ground course’ in Maroochydore and will return to PNG for some familiarisation flights prior to going to Sydney for “simulator” training to complete the first phase of their Dash8 training.

Thereafter, Captains Vonseau and Gamiandu will undergo “line training” in PNG, flying with APNG pilots throughout their network prior to seeking to get an endorsement on this aircraft type.

“It is imperative that we, Solomon Airlines” begin the task of ‘skills’ training for this type of aircraft as there is no reason why we could not be flying this aircraft type ourselves in a few years”. The airline said.

Yet to be part of the ‘up-skilling’ required will be Engineering and Maintenance and the Maintenance Manager (Trevor Palmer), in charge of the Airlines’ Engineering facility, is about to visit Airlines PNG facilities and management to discuss a path of training for Solomon Airlines to achieve the skills set required to maintain this ‘high capacity’ aircraft through its own Engineers in the future.

Solomon Airlines advised that it expected to sign a contract/agreement to bring this aircraft into Solomon Airlines’ fleet within a very short time and hopefully by the first week of Dec to commence flying under the National Carrier’s banner for the Christmas rush soon to be upon the country.