Bethany Bogi’s pathway into aviation began with the aircraft parts and components that help keep airline operations moving.
Based in Port Moresby, Bethany started her aviation career with PNG Air in 2019 as a Store Person. Early in her career, she was promoted to Goods Inwards Officer, a role that gave her hands-on exposure to the detail, discipline and precision required in aircraft parts management. Her responsibilities included inspecting and batching aeronautical parts across a broad range of aircraft components, including DHC-8-100 and ATR 72-600 engine components, as well as smaller aircraft hardware items.
That experience sparked Bethany’s interest in pursuing a more technical career in aircraft maintenance engineering.
In April 2026, Bethany commenced her Diploma of Aircraft Maintenance Engineering B1.1 Mechanical – Fixed Wing Gas Turbine Engines at Aviation Australia’s headquarters in the Brisbane Airport precinct. The 95-week program includes 1,176 hours of practical maintenance tasks designed to build the technical knowledge and hands-on skills required to become a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer.
Bethany is one of four Pacific scholars supported through the Australia–Pacific Partnerships for Aviation, known as P4A, in partnership with Aviation Australia. The cohort includes Etienne Warimavute from Vanuatu, Nitasha Tade and Bethany Bogi from Papua New Guinea, and Joshua Ramanu from Fiji, who commenced their studies in Brisbane in April 2026.
For Bethany, the scholarship provides an important opportunity to grow her skills in a specialised technical field and gain international training experience.
“Being selected for the programme was a unique opportunity to develop my skills overseas, as the majority of PNG students would mostly enrol in local training organisations,” Bethany said. “Aviation Australia’s extensive selection of training aids and aircraft is unbelievable, and the high standards for the programme I have been exposed to so far are far greater than I was expecting. I look forward to learning as much as I can from my instructors to apply for my licence when the time comes.”
Bethany’s long-term goal is to return to Papua New Guinea and continue her career with PNG Air as an aircraft engineer. She plans to obtain ATR 72-600 and ATR 42/400 series type ratings and progressively gain additional fleet type ratings over time.
Her journey also reflects the importance of creating pathways for Pacific women to participate in technical aviation careers, including aircraft maintenance engineering, where women remain underrepresented.
Through its partnership with Aviation Australia, P4A is supporting Pacific scholars to gain practical skills, build confidence and contribute to stronger aviation capability across the region.
As Bethany continues her training in Brisbane, her pathway shows how hands-on industry experience, formal training and regional partnerships can help build aviation capability across the Pacific.
