It was a night of celebration on Saturday as nine Wanaka
Heli students graduated from their two-year Diploma in Aviation programme.
Wānaka Airport was delighted to join the students, their whānau, instructors
and the wider Wanaka Heli team to celebrate the milestone and recognise the
hard work that has gone into the past two years.
Over those two years, the students have undertaken an
extensive mix of flying, theory, and practical training as they worked towards
their aviation qualifications and prepared for careers in the helicopter
industry.
A photo/video slideshow on the night gave everyone a glimpse
into that journey and some of the experiences students and instructors have
shared along the way. The water escape/crash simulation managed to look
simultaneously terrifying and quite good fun, while some of the dancing on
display was a little more questionable!
Wānaka Airport was also proud to sponsor the Safety &
Community Award, presented this year to Marema Johnson.
What makes this award particularly special is that the
recipient is chosen by the instructors and first-year students. In many ways,
it is a people’s choice award, recognising the impression the recipient has
made on those they have learnt from, and those coming through behind them who
they have helped mentor.
A huge congratulations to Marema on a well-deserved award,
and to all of this year’s graduates on completing their diplomas.
Training organisations such as Wanaka Heli are an important
part of the aviation community at Wānaka Airport, bringing new people into the
industry and helping develop the next generation of aviation professionals.
We wish the graduates all the very best for whatever comes
next and look forward to seeing some familiar faces around the aviation
community in the years ahead.
Congratulations to the Class of 2026!
