Fiji Airports Aviation Academy: Shaping the Skies of the Blue Pacific

Vanuatu Air Traffic Control graduates during their graduation in Nadi, Fiji this year. They returned home following a 10-month training with Fiji Airports Aviation Academy. 

Tucked away on a quiet stretch of Delana Road in Namaka, Nadi, sits a quiet powerhouse shaping the skies of the Nadi Flight Information Region and the wider Blue Pacific, the Fiji Airports Aviation Academy (FAAA).

It may not boast gleaming glass walls or hi-tech façades, but within its modest buildings beats the heart of something far more important: a training ground that has transformed lives, strengthened aviation safety, and elevated regional capacity for over two decades.

A Lifeline Across Six Million Square Kilometres
The Nadi Flight Information Region (FIR), managed by Fiji Airports, spans approximately six million square kilometres of sovereign airspace over Fiji, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Kiribati, and Vanuatu. It is one of the Pacific’s most strategically important aviation corridors, and the Academy continues to play a vital role in building the workforce that keeps these skies safe.

Last year, five young air traffic controller trainees from Vanuatu arrived in Nadi to undertake their training at the Fiji Airports Aviation Academy. Their mission: to strengthen their skills through an internationally recognised, Civil Aviation Authority-certified training programme and prepare for careers safeguarding their national airspace.

A Story of Regional Partnership
At the students’ graduation, Vanuatu High Commission First Secretary, Diana Tagi, reflected on what their journey truly represented. She referenced discussions at the 3rd Regional Aviation Ministers Meeting in Suva, where leaders highlighted the fragility of aviation in island nations, a vital lifeline for families, economies, and emergency response.

She also recalled a presentation by Fiji Airports CEO, Mesake Nawari, which emphasised the importance of regional aviation training support and collaboration.

“This graduation is more than a ceremony,” Ms Tagi said.

“It is what our regional intentions look like when they come to life, capacity building, shared learning, and supporting one another.”

Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) Officers Teitin Tebano of Cassidy Airport, Kiritimati (Christmas Island) and Ioteba Maunana based at Bonriki International Airport in Tarawa (with certificates) following their graduation at the Fiji Airports Aviation Academy this year.

A Legacy Across the Pacific
The Fiji Airports Aviation Academy has trained more than just one group of students. Since the early 2000s, it has welcomed trainees from Vanuatu, Kiribati, Samoa, and beyond, many of whom now occupy critical leadership and specialist roles in their home countries.
Graduates have gone on to become:

• Directors of Civil Aviation
• Chief Executive Officers
• General Managers
• Safety Officers
• Trainers and Senior ControllersNadi Control Tower and the Air Traffic Management Centre, and supported one another through every challenge.

In February this year, they proudly graduated from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 051 Basic ATC, 052 Aerodrome Control, and 053 Approach Control Procedural programmes.

Resilience in the Face of Disaster
Only weeks after completing their first phase of training, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck near Port Vila. Homes were destroyed, families displaced, and uncertainty gripped the nation.

One of the trainees, Delyn Jeremiah, was home when the earthquake hit. Her fellow trainees remained in Nadi, carrying the emotional weight of not knowing the full extent of the devastation or the safety of their families.

The Fiji Airports Aviation Academy located on Delana Road within the Fiji Airports compound on Namaka, Nadi

The Academy and Fiji Airports' Air Traffic Management team swiftly rallied around them. Students were supported with:

• Access to communication channels to stay in touch with loved ones
• Time off from classes when needed
• Emotional and pastoral support from instructors and colleagues

Delyn’s decision to return and complete her training moved the Academy community and highlighted the resilience of Pacific aviation professionals.

Several have even transitioned to aviation roles in New Zealand and Australia, strengthening Fiji Airports’ reputation as a hub for globally capable professionals.

Strengthening Skills for Today’s Aviation Demands
Just last week, two Kiribati officers, Teitin Tebano and Ioteba Maunana, returned to the Academy after nine years to complete their Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) refresher course. Their return highlights the ongoing need for continuous professional development, as aviation technologies and international standards rapidly evolve.

They left Fiji grateful, re-energised, and ready to strengthen operations at Cassidy and Bonriki International Airports.

A Future That Needs Investment
Fiji Airports CEO, Mesake Nawari, says these achievements are part of a longstanding tradition.

“The Academy has produced some of the region’s most capable air traffic professionals,” he said.

“The curriculum is internationally aligned, and it prepares our students for the real-world challenges they will face.”

He remains candid, however: the Academy must modernise and work toward ICAO international accreditation.

Demand from Pacific nations is growing, but so too is the need for upgraded classrooms, advanced simulators, and modern technology that matches global standards.

To continue supporting Pacific nations and to fulfil Fiji Airports’ vision of becoming a World-Class Aviation Hub for the Blue Pacific, the learning environment must evolve.

The Next Chapter: Investing in Pacific Skies

The stories of the Vanuatu and Kiribati trainees reveal what is already possible. But they also show what more could be achieved with expanded classroom space, state-of-the-art simulators, and technology that reflects today’s aviation realities.

Every aircraft that lands safely, every flight that crosses Pacific skies, and every trainee who returns home ready to serve is part of a bigger story, a story the Fiji Airports Aviation Academy has been quietly writing for over two decades.

It is a story of resilience, partnership, education, and regional pride.

As the Pacific’s aviation needs grow, so too must the investment in the Academy that has, for so long, invested in its people.

The Academy may sit quietly on Delana Road, but its impact stretches across oceans. With the right support, its future can be as bright and boundless as the skies it helps keep safe.