Aviation is playing an increasingly critical role in the delivery of vaccines worldwide with air shipments estimated to peak in the second quarter of 2021. Global transport infrastructure and supply chains are bracing themselves for this complex task which will undoubtedly present a massively complex logistical challenge. So, to make vaccines available as quickly and safely as possible, a smooth vaccine global distribution system must be ensured by leveraging existing networks and processes. Here in the UAE, the Hope Coalition initiative has been launched to facilitate this smooth distribution of 6 billion doses around the globe, with plans to increase capacity to 18 billion by the end of this year.
Expediting vaccine distribution presents big challenges for aviators. With almost half of cargo distributed by air going in the bellies of regular airliners, the current worldwide dip in flight volume will result in distribution challenges. Although many airlines have converted passenger aircraft to transport cargo and GA operations continue despite travel restrictions, meeting the capacity demand may be an issue and this would have a knock-on effect of slowing distribution down – a major setback for global health and economic recovery.
Lockdowns, border closures, and quarantine periods pose massive challenges for immigration. This is why IATA is developing the IATA Travel Pass – it aims to provide a standardized template for travelers’ health information so governments can be assured that they are not importing COVID-19 without having to sacrifice air connectivity. The digital platform will inform users of what tests, documents, vaccines, etc. they require to travel to certain areas. It will also enable them to share their test results and vaccine certification in a safe and secure manner. This is truly great news for aviation!
Another vaccine transportation challenge is storage as certain temperatures must be maintained to preserve vaccination shots. Every Vaccine requires a different temperature configuration; some need 2-8 degrees which can be controlled by aircraft itself, however others (such as the from Pfizer and BioNTech) require -70 degrees. This is when special containers called Envirotainers are required to maintain this temperature throughout the journey. On the ground, ultra-low temperature freezers are needed to store the vaccine as it makes its way to its destination.
Foreseeing the tremendous role the industry will play in vaccine distribution, aviation associations and operators have been busy preparing. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has long since called on international governments to treat aviation employees as essential workers so they receive the vaccine as a priority (after key health workers and vulnerable people) and expedite the distribution process. IATA also partnered with the ICAO and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to create guidelines to enable airports and aviators to best handle the complexities of large-scale distribution and work with international regulatory bodies to facilitate the efficient movement of air cargo.
Governments have also been preparing their distribution strategies. Back in November, the United Arab Emirates launched an initiative to facilitate the distribution of 6 billion doses all over the globe and increasing this capacity to 18 billion by the end of 2021. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established and tested logistical plans with manufacturers and commercial partners as part of its centralized vaccine delivery system and is now coordinating supplies and distribution. Airports all over the globe have been boosting security and expanding cold-storage facilities to store doses at the required temperatures.
This commitment to expedite vaccine air transportation throughout the aviation supply chain illustrates how business aviation is perfectly placed to overcome any challenge this massive undertaking may bring. At UAS, we have long since cut our teeth on some of the most complex and exacting operational challenges that have ever existed – and we are ready to continue to do so throughout 2021 as we continue to play our part in COVID recovery.
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African Presidential and Heads of State delegations are traveling to the Ethiopian capital for the 35th African Union (AU) Assembly taking place at the AU Headquarters from February 5-6.
With the theme of “Building Resilience in Nutrition on the African Continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development,” this is the first time the AU Summit is convening physically since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Fred Kiige | - 02/04/2022
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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