Malakai Matagasau Nawaikabakaba

Malakai Matagasau Nawaikabakaba

Malakai Matagasau Nawaikabakaba serves as the Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea (CASA PNG), a position he has held since 2024. With a distinguished career in aviation leadership and safety oversight spanning over two decades, he brings extensive operational and regulatory expertise to the Authority.

Prior to his appointment as Deputy Director, Mr. Nawaikabakaba held several key leadership roles within CASA PNG. He joined the organization in December 2010 as a Flying Operations Inspector (FOI). His demonstrated technical proficiency led to his promotion to Team Leader of Flying Operations, and subsequently to Manager of Flying Operations in 2014, a role he maintained for a decade before transitioning to the executive leadership team.

Mr. Nawaikabakaba’s professional background is rooted in both commercial airline operations and civil aviation regulation. His career highlights include:

• Executive Leadership: Serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Airlines Tonga – Air Fiji Limited from January 2006 to May 2009.
• Operational Excellence: Over 12 years of experience as an Approved/Authorized Check and Training Captain for Air Fiji Limited and Airlines Tonga.
• Regulatory Oversight: Serving as a Flying Operations Inspector for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Fiji (CAAF) before joining CASA PNG.