Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, aviation associations and advocacy groups have been working tirelessly to find ways of supporting a struggling industry. This was quite an uphill battle throughout a year that saw countries closing their borders, lockdown, and shut up shop for months on end. It effectively grounded all commercial air travel and make GA and BA flights tremendously challenging to get off the ground.
Now, in early 2021, after many countries began welcoming outside visitors again, we’re now seeing some countries tightening their border restrictions again in a bid to keep the different emerging strains of COVID-19 at bay. Needless to say, this is a necessary move for states, potentially devastating for aviation. It is looking like 2021 could be a tougher year for our industry than we expected.
Recently released analysis from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that maintained the airline industry will remain cash negative throughout 2021 with a cash burn for 2021 rising to somewhere between $75 – $95 billion from an earlier forecast of $48 billion. A concerning reality for the industry and the world economy as the health of both are intertwined.
Meanwhile, IATA has also announced that it would launch a COVID-19 travel pass at the end of this month, meaning a digital system for centralizing PCR test results or inoculation certificates for those who have had vaccines would be recognized by them to facilitate international travel. IATA said it is essential that governments begin issuing citizens digital health certifications which are acceptable to digital travel passes or health passports.
Airlines such as Gulf Air, Emirates, and Etihad Airways have already committed to participate in the IATA Travel Pass trial to help the industry rebound. Now, I would urge global governments to universally agree to facilitate the use of this travel pass so we can restart global movement once more. Let’s all demonstrate the same drive to find solutions to the industry’s and passengers’ woes.
Africa Union Summit Addis Ababa: Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa will host key meetings of the 32nd African Union (AU) Summit starting February 6 and running until February 11. It’s going to be a busy time at Addis Ababa Bole International…
Leaders who consistently think strategically automatically analyze and evaluate to form their judgments. Critical thinking is one of many different types of thinking essential for great strategic leadership. However, we mustn’t neglect the encouragement of critical thinking within our organizations.…
The 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) returns with gusto after the most challenging period in aviation history and leading global trip support solutions provider UAS International Trip Support’s Americas team will be there to reconnect with industry…
Marketing Team UAS International Trip Support | - 10/06/2021
Mitch Launius
Instructor Pilot for 30 West IP
Mitch is the CEO of 30 West IP where he is also an instructor providing pilot training on international procedures. With an illustrious career of over 34 years in the cockpit, Mitch has acquired over 13,000 hours of flight time flying worldwide, with over 9,000 hours of this in Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft. He is an experienced safety officer and was also an IS-BAO project manager for a fortune 500 flight department. He has presented on Safety and Operations topics at the NBAA International Operators Conference and the Canadian Business Aviation Association Convention and is currently on the NBAA International Operators Committee and serves as the North Atlantic Regional Lead. Mitch is also a member of an FAA working group on General Aviation International Authorizations and Tabletop Exercises (GIATE). He was recently selected to represent IBAC as a member of the ICAO Personal Training and Licensing Panel (PTLP) and was also recently named as a 2020 recipient of the NBAA Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award for his contribution to the business aviation community.
Henry ‘Duke’ LeDuc
Director Of Operations, Americas, UAS International Trip Support
Duke has been a dearly respected member of UAS Americas team and the UAS global family for more than five years. A safety-oriented, FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher, he oversees all of the operations of the elite UAS Operations Team. With twenty-five years of experience in aviation overall with more than fifteen years of experience in international flight planning and VVIP trip coordination, he is responsible for the development of the dispatch training program and involved in the strategic development of UAS Americas. With a myriad of rich aviation experience behind him, he has extensive experience in worldwide operations with both corporate and charter environments, including seven years as Operations/Dispatch Manager in an industry-leading, Fortune 500, IS-BAO Stage III Certified corporate flight department. Duke is frequently asked shares his knowledge at major industry events and is currently serving on the NBAA’s International Operators Conference (IOC) Planning Committee.
Dudley King
President and Founder, FlightBridge
Dudley is the Founder and President of FlightBridge, which he established in 2011 and has been focused on technology solutions for the private aviation industry since 2006. Since he graduated from Dartmouth in 1988, he has worked with an array of companies listed anywhere from VentureWire to the Fortune 100. A rare blend of executive, entrepreneur, and consultant, Dudley’s executive roles have included acting CIO positions for several companies and tech advisory services to CEOs trying to rebuild their technology organizations or looking for an external, professional point of view. Highly skilled at deeply understanding his customer’s business challenges and drawing from a long and varied experience in information technology services, Dudley excels at designing technology solutions to solve their problems.
Dr. Paulo Alves
Global Medical Director, Aviation Health, Medaire
Paulo has extensive experience in medical advisory in the aviation industry. As a cardiologist, he provides technical guidance and analysis for MedAire’s MedLink medical advisory service and is MedAire’s liaison with civil aviation regulators and industry associations. Paulo worked with Varig Brazilian Airlines for 23 years, 10 of which were spent as General Medical Manager. A member of the MedAire Medical Advisory Board, Paulo is also President of the Ibero-American Aerospace Medical Association, a member of the International Academy of Aerospace Medicine, a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Safety Committee, a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA), and a Fellow of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. Throughout his illustrious career, Paulo has held industry leadership roles including Chairperson of the AsMA’s Air Transport Medicine Committee, President of the Airlines Medical Directors Association, President of the Brazilian Society of Aerospace Medicine and was a member of the IATA Medical Advisory Group from 2002 to 2006.
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