RORAIMA Airways’ Director of Aviation and Chief Pilot Gerald Gouveia Jr., credits the company’s willingness to invest in a state-of-the-art, twin-engine aircraft the likes of the Tecnam P2012 to the robust performance of Guyana’s economy and the government’s unwavering faith in the local aviation sector.

With a tagline that reads, in part, “jungle on the outside, luxury on the inside”, Gouveia rates the Tecnam P2012, which is internationally certified for medical evacuations and use as an air ambulance, as being ideal for the kind of services they have in mind to offer, and a boon for Roraima Airways as well.
And it’s all thanks to President Dr. Irfaan Ali and his government for creating an environment in which investors like himself are motivated to invest in the aviation industry, the young aviator said.

Gouveia not only expressed his satisfaction with the government’s efforts at enhancing the quality of the country’s airstrips, but also the planned installation of automatic weather reporting systems nationwide, which is expected to be operational “very shortly”.
He also noted the government’s collaboration with the private sector in an effort to reduce costs for travellers.

According to Gouveia, “Guyana’s economy is doing fantastic; it is on a trajectory that is not only historic, but it is the first of its kind in the world. I don’t think that many other countries have seen this level of growth in such a short period of time.
“Aside from the economy growing at a rate that is very investor-friendly and boosts investors’ confidence, if the government didn’t listen to and invest in the aviation sector, I would not have felt comfortable investing millions of US dollars into this aircraft, and putting it into an adverse environment. We finally have a government that is listening to the aviation industry, and working with the aviation industry to improve cost-effectiveness and, most importantly, safety.”

LOCAL AND REGIONAL SERVICES
While explaining that he was able to fly the new aircraft from Canada across the United States, and to the Bahamas without any challenges, Gouveia said that he is quite capable of providing chartered flights to or from any part of the Caribbean and northern Brazil to Guyana with ease, and with the highest level of service, security, and comfort to its customers.

Gouveia also emphasised that due to the aircraft’s advanced technology and features, such as is two-engine capabilities, they will be able to offer their services in the day or night, which is the first for Guyana.
Considering the various operations that are currently happening in Guyana, such as the oil-and-gas company, Gouveia said that the new aircraft will enable them to offer emergency operations as well as cargo operations around-the-clock.
Furthermore, he explained that with this new investment, they will be able to up the level of medical evacuation and air ambulance flights in the country.

“Roraima has a very proud history of providing these services to the people of Guyana during the day and the night. Due to the risk of operating in the jungle without proper weather reporting and adverse weather conditions, we had actually restricted the night flying at the company,” Gouveia said, adding:
“With this aircraft and the added technology and safety standards, as well as the work that the government is doing to improve the quality of the airstrips across Guyana, we are looking to restart our night medevac service.
“I can safely say, as the director of aviation, I am in a position where I will be more comfortable dispatching night medevac flights.”

Additionally, Gouveia told the Guyana Chronicle that the Tecnam P2012 is among the latest designed short-take-off-and landing aircraft globally. He also stated that this latest designed aircraft in its class features modern design elements, including soundproofing, a state-of-the-art autopilot system, and advanced weather radar, among many other contemporary features.

RORAIMA AIRWAYS GOING FORWARD
Finally, Gouveia shared that while they are incredibly pleased to be the first operator of the new aircraft in the Region, in the Southern Caribbean, and in South America, they are grateful and recognise that Technam is committed, and will continue to work with them and the Civil Aviation to develop a product that will suit Guyana and the Guyanese people.
He also said that this is the first of several aircraft that they will be investing in, so that they can not only expand their fleet, but also develop a service and a platform that will bring a level of comfort and security for all.
“We are expanding the VIP passenger experience, expanding the chartered operations, as well as the cargo and medevac flights, and offering a higher level of safety and luxury, even in the jungle,” Gouveia emphasised.