The Pacific Islands Forum is making efforts to raise air travel safety levels in the Pacific with a course in Vanuatu to improve the management of aerodromes.
The week long Aerodromes Inspectors' Course is being held by the the Forum's Pacific Aviation Safety Organisation from next Monday in Port Vila.
The safety organisation's general manager, Alvin Tuala, says staff will be trained to international standards, to ensure that local people have the skills to understand the dynamics of airports and aerodrome safety and to allow them to carry out meaningful inspections and audits.
"We hope that these courses make a huge impact in terms of the participants going back with the requisite knowlege and skills to look at their own airports internally, to at the smaller aerodromes and say 'we need certain things to be put in place'. And to be able to regulate and have a look at what they need, and improve on what they already have."
Mr Tuala says PASO is also planning additional courses in other aspects of flight operations and air safety.
