Palu Aviation Services

Established in 2003 as a solo-man operation, providing line maintenance for Air Pacific and Polynesian Airlines in Fua'amotu International Airport, Palu Aviation Servcies Ltd (PAS) has now grown to include subsidiary companies in Samoa and New Zealand with staff numbers over 50. In 2005, it had achieved certification by the Ministry of Transport, as an Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO) under Civil Aviation Rule Part 145. From there it provided maintenance for domestic airlines such as Peau Vava'u and Air Chathams. Recognizing the standards that PAS had achieved, later on the same year, both Air New Zealand and Pacific Blue enlisted PAS's services to provide line maintenance in Fua'amotu Airport for all their scheduled flights. Local and skilled tradesmen were trained and sent to Air New Zealand Training School to gain their licences and ratings. There are now 4 licenced aircraft maintenance engineers with the company, with 3 more trainees completing their licence exams. Localisation of the workforce has been key to the company's success. Naturally, a freight forwarding company was established in 2006 as well as travel agency. This agency is now an IATA accredited travel agency, one of only 3 in Tonga. As for the freight forwarding company, Palu Aviation Cargo Ltd, it is the first and only Regulated Air Cargo Agent (RACA) in Tonga as of June 2012. In 2007, Air New Zealand approached PAS to provide line maintenance in Faleolo International Airport, Samoa. So it was, staff was mobilized to establish what is now Palu Aviation Services (Samoa) Ltd. It provides maintenance support for both Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia's aircraft in Samoa. Over the initial years, the company had developed itself around the transport and travel industry as its main focus, so as to diversify and at the same time have these companies support each other both directly and indirectly. However recently, other smaller businesses have been put in place to facilitate the bigger companies core business. This includes, Palu Trade which is a wholesale and retail outlet of several commercial related products, Palu Technical which is an automotive repair shop, Palu Finance a micro-financing business, Sky Computers catering for internal and external IT services and T&T Money Transfer which facilitates the company's international financial transactions. With a team of committed and skilled Tongan Nationals, the company is envisioning bigger and better opportunities for the future.