The aviation industry offers help during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing how the world is doing business and how aviation businesses are working with people. New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, agreed to use their team jet to transport 1.2 million N95 masks from China to the United States. He wanted to do his part to expedite the delivery of the masks to the courageous healthcare professionals in his state, and throughout the country, but it wasn’t easy to do. The plane had to be upgraded for international travel and a waiver was necessary for the crew to avoid a 14-day quarantine in China. Kraft says he has never seen so much red tape, but he was still honored to do it.
The general and business aviation industries are ready to enter the humanitarian fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Five groups – The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the National Business Aviation Association, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Helicopters Association International, and the National Air Transportation Association – sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation, Elaine Chao, saying they are “ready to bring their resources into the fight to help mitigate the public health threat that has spread disease worldwide and has significantly impacted the world’s economy”.
The letter was a summary of the many benefits that business and general aviation are able to offer during this health emergency. All together, general and business aviation has a diverse fleet of aircraft capable of responding to any number of urgent requests in every part of the country, or the world. They are able to transport time-sensitive supplies and medical equipment, organ transplants, key personnel, and patients to over 5000 general aviation airports.
If your company is a member of any one of these Associations, you should have already received guidance regarding appropriate coronavirus response actions. If you have any questions or would like to offer your assistance in this fight against COVID-19, please contact your Association directly for more information on what is needed. Together we can beat this.
RELATED CTS TRAINING
