A self-made chopper engineer

Heli Solutions chopper engineer ,Pao Kento, stands next to a helicopter at 7mile, Jacksons’s parade.

Not often you hear a grade 8 leaver overcoming all odds and becoming a chopper engineer just to live his dream.

About 4 feet tall, this tiny bloke from Kainantu, Eastern Highlands Province, is described by colleagues as a valuable asset. I was impressed when I learnt of his story and thought it would be refreshing to read about ordinary Papua New Guineans and their untold stories at a time like this when so much negatively is surrounding our beautiful county.

It was on the day typical sunny Wednesday in Port Moresby when I arrived at Jacksons Parade, 7mile, where he was sitting comfortably under a shady tree with his son and his colleague.

 He started fixing himself up when he heard a reporter was out at the Heli Solutions hanger looking for him.

Smiling nervously the first thing he said when he saw me was;

“plis mi ino redi yet na u kam ya.” (I wasn’t expecting you this soon)

We laughed and exchanged greetings then sat under a tent which he said he had prearranged for pilots to relax.

He was free that day because their (Heli Solutions’) chopper had just left with a few clients to the Highlands.

Pao Kento has been with the aviation industry for 30 years since his first job as an engineer’s assistance in 1985 with the then Nation Air and has never left the industry since.

He joined Islands Nation Air as an Engineer’s assistant in Port Moresby where he would carry engineer’s tool box around until 1988 when he moved to Western Highlands.

“I moved to work with Hevilift in Western Highlands when my wife and I were expecting our first son. I attended an in-house course that was offered by Hevilift for a month while there.

“My teachers were people Robert Agarobe and the Late Lapan Nassun who thought me a lot. I carried their tools and walked around with them,”

When Pao returned to Nation Air after leaving Western Highlands, he came at a time when Nation Air was going through a transition period when Islands Company had bought Nation Air and would later become Islands Nation Air.

“When Islands came to buy the company, management changed and a lot of my colleagues were laid off. They kept me there as a load master. I worked for eight years with them and from there I resigned and joined South West Air at Mendi, S.H.P, in 2001.

“I worked with them until 2003 when I came back to Port Moresby and Joined Islands Nation Air again.

Tasol strongpla tintin bilong mi, desire belong mi em long kamap engineer blong balus. Long skul too mi gat disla kain aim tasol mi no bin makim go insite long high skul na em bin bikpla problem belong mi,” (I have always wanted to be an aeroplane engineer since schooling my aim has always been that but my problem was I did not finish school.)

Pao’s Education ended in Grade six and he knew he could not reach his dream if he did not strive.

He acquired a grade eight certificate after doing some correspondent courses in Port Moresby.

To further his education was difficult for him at that time because he had children that were growing up and attending school at the same time.

 “So after grade eight I wanted to study too but my children were studying too so I had to let the children continue with their studies while I worked around,”

For Pao, any employment in the aviation industry was good enough for him. Since his employment with Nation Air, now Islands Nation Air, he had left the company three times only to go back and he reasons that;

“If a company knows your value and your potential, they will always have an open door policy with you. It is you that will have to make the choice

 In 2004 he was sent down to Brisbane to attend Queensland Aerospace College for three months for training. For him as someone with little educational background, that was an achievement he is always proud of he said. 

“While working with Islands Helicopters, I noticed the company was shaking financially and administratively. I thought of the younger guys that had just joined the company who were most likely to be sacked. As such I resigned from the company in 2009.”

His intentions were clear, he said, and he informed the company to call him whenever they needed his assistance.

Pao stayed out of employment for exactly a year and returned to the industry when he joined Helifix in 2010 where he worked on choppers.

He was with Helifix for a year when he moved to another PNG owned chopper company, Heli Solutions.

According to Pau, both owners of Heli Solutions and Helifix have thought him a lot through friendship, professionally and personally.

Pau said he could have stayed but as the years went by, his children were getting older and he needed to take care of their needs and Heli Solutions provided that privilege.

“Mi stap nau twopla boss man James na Arnold rigim me na me kam. (I was with Helifix when Arnald and James called me to come work with them.)

Pau’s day-to-day job involves checking the Helicopters before they leave, pre-flight checks. If the chopper has to go out and spend some night in certain areas, Pau goes with the pilot with his tool box.

“Before any Helicopter leaves, as an engineer I have to make sure everything is alright. I have to be there to make pre-flight checks.

“No one tells me what to do and how to do it, I do it on my own. I left school in grade eight and even though my reading is not to that of your typical engineer, I can do a much better job.

“We have our chief Engineer Larry Maxwell here but anything that goes wrong here in Moresby, I am capable of handling it alone.

“When pilots complain of helicopter problems, I can tell them what is wrong just by looking at it.”

When I asked if he can fly a chopper, he jokingly said if he had a pistol pointed to his head, he would.

“If my life depended on it. I will.”

He also confirmed rumours that he can dissemble a chopper and fit everything back to normal.

Now his 21 year old, son also hopes to follow his father’s dreams and works beside his father during his free time.

Heli Solutions chopper engineer, Pao Kento and his eldest son Joe Kento who is assisting his father at the Heli Solutions Hangar. Joe hopes to walk in his father’s footsteps in the coming future.

“Mi sa payim em long forthnight blong me. Me laikim em lukautim tool box belong mi

Pao’s son, Joe, just finished grade 10 and has enrolled at Jasio technical college where he studies to become a heavy equipment fitter. He hasn’t got his certificate yet but enjoys working alongside his father.

Pao’s word of advice to ordinary Papua New Guineans;

“If you are determined to do something or become someone in life, you can be or do what you want as long as you work towards it with all your heart.  Do not look at other people’s success and think they were born with a special brain, the Lord gave all man the same brain. It just depends on us as individuals what we do to develop our mind and how hard we work to take us where we want to go.

“If you tell yourself you cannot do it, you are blocking yourself. If you tell yourself you can do it, you will. When I left grade six and did code, my aim was to be an aircraft engineer or a ship engineer.

When I left grade 6, I thought I had no hope but if I made it through, anyone can.

“You can still reach your dreams, there is a lot of avenues to get to where you want to go. Do not limit yourself to one option, knock on all doors, if it’s locked, break it down or try the others door.

“Many of your mates will move ahead of your in their careers or in their life but that does not mean you are doomed. You can still do it.”

Pao is now satisfied man. From a simple grade six leaver to a self-made chopper engineer, he is truly an inspiration.

For now, Pao says Heli Solutions is where he will be until his calling. He says many of his colleagues that he is with now, he has worked alongside with since his young days.

“I have known Captain Pima and Captain Phill for a long time when they were doing their casual with Islands Nation Air when they were in the Army. I worked alongside these men.”

Pao is currently working to construct a mini hanger at 7 mile where he hopes to have Heli’s choppers sheltered under when they arrive at Jackson’s parade.