Corporate Jet Investor Middle East & Africa 2020 took place recently and it was my pleasure to introduce the event and quickly explore the COVID-related challenges facing operators in the Middle East. Notwithstanding the health concerns and COVID containment attempts that are everyone’s priority these days, the greatest issues for aviation operators, flight dispatchers, and ITPs have been navigating strict global lockdown measures and different country requirements. As a trip support provider, we see it all with our clients as we cater to various operational segments. And even though many countries are open once again to all kinds of traffic, some Middle Eastern countries are still restricting and suspending flights with the usual exceptions of humanitarian, cargo, repatriation, medevac, and diplomatic operations.
These types of operational challenges will continue for the foreseeable but no doubt, we will continue to find solutions to these issues as they arise. The best way to mitigate issues is to plan as far in advance as possible. Health screening is a massive consideration with many countries demanding negative PCR test results before boarding can take place. And, depending on the destination, a negative PCR test result, 14-day quarantine period, or proof of health insurance may be required. We are also seeing airports and FBOs becoming more and more committed to implementing comprehensive COVID-19 protection protocols according to the World Health Organization guidelines such as increased cleaning and sanitation of common areas with EPA-approved products; facilitating touch-free transactions where possible, utilizing PPE equipment as deemed by local authorities; maintaining social distancing at all times; training staff on illness prevention and sanitizing on an ongoing basis; minimizing person-to-person contact, and making aircraft cleaning and sanitizing services available through third-party vendors. Operators will be working to reduce the ground time and reduce the exposure for passengers and crew.
It’s probably safe to say that cargo and medevac operations that have been exempted from the flight restrictions for most countries throughout lockdown periods will most likely continue to fly without any restrictions. I’m sure we’ll see the establishment of travel corridors between safe countries and removing the need for quarantine when travelling will be at the top of everyone’s agenda going forward. I hope that we will see governments begin to work together to harmonize regulations and implement a common global set of air transport biosecurity measures such as those contained in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s CART Take-off Guidelines. And finally, when it comes to choosing trip support providers in the future, I think operators will want to see less third-party reliance, fewer intermediaries in service delivery … operators will want to deal with a single provider that can provide solutions for their every need. And having full trust in your ITP will become an even greater requirement as it already is.
CJI Middle East & Africa was a great opportunity for us to bring a cross-section of the business aviation community together to share our experiences and insights and explore how we can unify to better understand and anticipate the issues of the future and ultimately strengthen the industry.
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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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