GCAA’s Director General receives 2023 “Katerina and George latrou” Lifetime Achievement Award

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is proud to announce that its Director General, Lt. Col. (ret’d) Egbert Field A.A, is the recipient of the prestigious 2023 “Katerina and George latrou” Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in the aviation sector. The award was presented to Col. Field on Sunday March 19, 2023, at the Air Transport Awards Ceremony held at Hotel Bonaventure in Montreal, Canada.

The 2023 Air Transport Awards was held in partnership with Hermes – Air Transport Organisation and Air Transport News (ATN) from Canada. The Air Transport Organisation recognizes the personalities, organizations and companies that contribute to the development of the aviation sector.

In his acceptance speech, Col. Field said ”Believe in yourself that no matter your circumstances of birth or life, you were born to win. However, to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win”.

Background

Col. Field started his career in the aviation sector at the age of 18 and has amassed more than 52 years’ of experience in the field in various capacities.

In 1970 he attended the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida where he obtained his Commercial Pilot Licence with Instrument and Multi-engine ratings. He joined the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in 1972 as an Officer Cadet. In his twenty-three (23) years at Air Corp he served as Officer- in-Charge (fixed wing), Training and Check Pilot, Executive Pilot to three Presidents for thirteen (13) years and Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff on Aviation matters.

Before retiring from the GDF with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1996, he joined Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC) where he became the first Guyanese Captain of the GAC Boeing 757 aircraft. After being trained in the United Kingdom as an Instrument and Type Rating examiner he was designated as a Check Airman for the then Civil Aviation Department in 1992. He was later appointed Chief Pilot/Director of Operations of the succeeding Guyana Airways 2000. 

He transitioned to the Regulatory side of Aviation becoming the first Operations Inspector of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority in 2002. In this position he continued his work in aviation with the Oversight of the aviation industry with inspections of the operators, examinations of pilots, investigation of accidents and incidents. Before departing from the GCAA in 2003, he was responsible for the certification of the eight (8) Air Operators in the Guyana aviation industry at that time.

Joining the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) in 2004 as an Operations Inspector with responsibility for the oversight of Air Jamaica Limited as its Principal Operations Inspector, he became the Manager- Flight Operations Oversight for the Authority in 2007 before rising to the position of Director, Flight Safety Department of the JCAA. Added to this portfolio were the duties of a Transnational Inspector for the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS). In this capacity he assisted other Caribbean countries with oversight of their air operators. In July 2016 he resigned from the JCAA to return home to become the Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority.

Lt. Col. Egbert Field has accumulated over 18,000 flight hours and, in the process, flew and is qualified on a number of aircraft including but not limited to the Beech King Air 200, the Skyvan, Y-12, the Hawker Siddley 748, the Russian made Tupolev 154, the Airbus 320/321, the Boeing 707 and Boeing 757/767. 

As a senior CAA Inspector, he has attended a wealth of courses, lectures, and symposiums at the FAA academy, International Civil Aviation Organisation, National Transportation Safety Board among others. In every area of air operations namely Accident Investigation, Audit procedures, Enforcement and Compliance, Approved Examiner, Air Operator Certification, Safety Management Systems, Evaluation of Aviation Management Systems, Personnel Licencing, Aircraft Dispatcher. Apart from being a Check Airman and examiner, he is also a certified ICAO Instructor. 

As the Director General of the GCAA, Col. Field sits on the Board of the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight System (CASSOS).

The Management and Staff of the GCAA extends heartfelt congratulations to Lt. Col. (ret’d) Egbert Field, A.A for his work and achievements in the field of aviation.