KWS TO SEND 12 PILOTS TO US AND GERMANY FOR TRAINING

Date Published:

Thursday, May 30, 2019 - 13:00

Kenya Wildlife Service Air wing will be sending seven pilots and five engineers for Gyrocopter training to the US and Germany respectively from May 31, 2019 for two weeks training.

The training is aimed at enhancing and equipping the personnel with modern skills of the new generation aircrafts.

A gyrocopter is a unique type of rotorcraft that uses an unpowered rotor in free autorotation to develop lift, which provides forward thrust independently by an engine-driven propeller. As opposed to a helicopter rotor, the autogyro's rotor must have air flowing across the rotor disc to generate rotation, and the air flows upwards through the rotor disc rather than down.

Maintaining safety in the aviation sector being the core aim, a Gyroplane has features that enable safe air patrols; it’s cost effective, maneuverable and agile.

The US government is also set to donate to Kenya Wildlife Service more than 5 Gyroplane aircrafts soon after the training for the personnel is over to strengthen surveillance in all parks and reserves across the country.

Speaking at KWS Air wing based at Wilson airport, KWS Board of Trustees Chairman Dr. John Waithaka noted with concern that since the inception of the Air wing 29 years ago, about 36 aircrafts have crashed, which is a negative thing to the organization.

“I commend the tremendous efforts that the head of department has put in place, we are encouraging our pilots and engineers to acquire sophisticated skills, to ensure high safety measures are taken during our operations and above all put KWS Air wing to higher levels around the world.” said Dr. Waithaka.

The training comes at a time when several incidences of plane crashe have been recently reported in various places around the world.

To revamp strong safety measures in the aviation sector, KWS head of Air wing, Michael Nicholson, urged trainees to embrace with keenness every concept of the training and new technology, noting this will help them during their operations.

“I encourage each one of us undertaking this training to conceptualize the new techniques and employ them during your day to day operations,” said Mr. Nicholson.