Kralendijk, December 1 - Last week 6 Flight Training students passed the FAA Written Exam to become a Private Pilot. This exam is the first step to the PPL (Private Pilot Licence). Following this Written Part the students will receive many hours of flight training in the Cessna 172 airplane of the BonAeroClub, which has its home base at Flamingo Airport.

Never before in the history of Bonaire Aviation, this many students passed the exam at the same time. It is the result of intensive personal study and training by FAA Instructor Roy Celestijn. The training took several months and was based on pilot training books and video material from the US.

The training course is an initiative of the BonAeroClub, the only flying club on Bonaire and one of the most active non-profit flying organisations in the Caribbean. Main goal of this course is to offer Bonairean citizens a possibility to achieve the FAA Private Pilot Licence for hobby purposes or as a start to a flying carreer.

Normally students have to go to the US to do the Written Exam, but in this case Mr. Jamal Mahawat Khan, president of the Aruba Flying Club, was authorized by the FAA to conduct the exam on Bonaire. For the practical exam the students will have to go to the US.

The passed students are: Gijs Hoogerkamp, Wietze Koopman, Carlos Rodriguez, Nelgenn Vrutaal, Rene Essink en Marco van de Kreeke. The picture shows 5 of the students with certificates and instructor Roy Celestijn in the middle. A new training course will start in January 2008.

Click here to view the Reporter article (English)- Click here to view the Amigoe article (Dutch)