Fiji Airports has taken a regional lead on aerodrome safety by hosting the first ACI–ICAO Annex 14 Regional Workshop in Fiji, bringing 30 aviation professionals from across the country and the Pacific together in Nadi for a week-long training programme. The workshop, run jointly by Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is the first time this Annex 14 course has been delivered in Fiji and is intended to raise regional capacity on airport design, operation and maintenance.
Fiji Airports Chief Executive Mesake Nawari said the training will strengthen participants’ understanding of Annex 14 standards and is particularly valuable for Pacific nations, where reliable air links underpin tourism, trade and emergency response. “We thank the ICAO for agreeing to this program being offered here. And with 30 participants being able to undertake this program. Otherwise, we’ll only be able to send two or three at the most every time it’s offered because of the cost,” Nawari said, underlining how hosting the workshop locally reduces the expense barriers that have limited island participation in the past.
ICAO’s Pacific Island Developing States liaison officer Kyal Barter stressed that aerodrome safety underpins overall aviation safety, with every take-off and landing depending on strict adherence to procedures and international standards. “Obviously, as you would expect for a course on implementing Annex 14, advanced aerodrome design and operations, there are specific elements unique to aviation. Lighting, markings, signs, aviation rescue firefighting, wildlife hazard management, declared distances, movement maneuvering areas and the like,” Barter said, listing the technical topics covered in the training.
Annex 14 provides internationally accepted standards and recommended practices for aerodrome physical characteristics, operational procedures and maintenance regimes. The workshop aimed to translate those standards into practical guidance for Pacific aerodrome operators, many of whom manage smaller, remote facilities that face unique operational and environmental challenges. Organisers said the regional delivery model allows more ground and technical staff to be trained simultaneously, building a broader base of expertise across multiple islands.
The workshop follows recent organisational moves by Fiji Airports to bolster safety and maintenance capacity. In December Fiji Airports appointed William Tamata as Manager of Electrical & Mechanical Services and promoted Alisi Bulamaibau to Aerodrome Maintenance Engineer at Nadi, steps the company says will support improvements to airfield systems and upkeep. Hosting the Annex 14 course complements those internal appointments by providing frontline and managerial staff from around the Pacific with the standards-based knowledge needed to apply system upgrades and maintenance best practice.
Fiji Airports said the event highlights its growing role in fostering aviation safety across the Pacific and supports the development of skills needed for the future. By expanding access to Annex 14 training locally, organisers expect to see more consistent implementation of aerodrome standards in the region, contributing to safer, more efficient air travel for island communities.
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