Asia Pacific helicopter operator Pacific Helicopters has strengthened its safety and quality team with three new appointments, including a senior level hire.

The Papua New Guinean-based company has appointed former Air Niugini executive manager for safety, Jagannath Baskaradoss, as its new deputy quality and safety manager, and Lorraine Loga and Carolyn Drapok as assistant quality and safety managers.

Baskaradoss joins Pacific Helicopters with more than 16 years' experience across airline operations and safety management, including senior roles with major international carriers in the US, Europe, Asia and the Pacific.

Drapok joins from the Adventist Aviation Services where she worked in flight operations before moving into the quality and safety team. Lorraine Loga has spent her life's career in aviation, most recently working as a quality and safety manager for Farland Aviation.

Edward Matane, Pacific Helicopters' chief executive officer, says the company is pleased to welcome the new team members and looks forward to the impact they will have.

“Each of these appointments brings valuable experience and capability to the business,” Matane states. “In particular, Jagannath brings extensive international experience across safety and quality, along with a deep understanding of Papua New Guinea's aviation environment from his time at Air Niugini, making him well placed to play a key role in further enhancing our safety and quality systems as part of our ongoing focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence.”

Baskaradoss says he was drawn to Pacific Helicopters by the team's openness, collaborative spirit and culture of continuous improvement: “Having spent the past 16 years working in fixed-wing aviation, this role presents an exciting opportunity to expand into rotary-wing operations, deepen my understanding of the sector's unique challenges and broaden my experience,” he comments. “I'm looking forward to working closely with the Pacific Helicopters' team to build on the strong foundations already in place, while contributing to a more data-driven approach to safety and quality that supports informed decision-making and ongoing improvement.”

Pacific Helicopters has been a leading operator to the oil and gas, mining, telecommunications and construction sectors across the Asia Pacific region since 1975.