Tips on Covid-19 Operations Management

opportunity to be met at the aircraft by the ground handling team who can shuttle them directly to customs and their ground transportation, says Christine Vamvakas, Senior Account Manager at Universal Weather and Aviation. “This is one of the advantages of having private FBOs with customs available, or General Aviation terminals.”

However, Vamvakas notes that it may be hard to find a reliable testing provider, particularly overseas at an unfamiliar location. “This could require you to drive the principal across town to a busy laboratory, on the laboratory’ schedule, exposing them to any viruses that may be present at the laboratory, in order to provide proprietary information to that entity”, she says.

“To address this challenge, we’ve developed an onboard Covid-19 lab testing solution that eliminates the wasted time and risks associated with securing pre-arrival Covid tests on international missions.

“This maximizes operational flexibility, and allows passengers and operators to stay in control of every step of the process, by administering the tests, safely and discretely, aboard the aircraft.”

“Covid-related risks within the Business Aviation industry can be far lower than in other sectors...”

Ever-Changing Environment

According to LeDuc, several operators are finding themselves overwhelmed with the additional workload of keeping up with the varied changes in Covid requirements.

“Even with this new paradigm, many organizations remain hesitant to add staff in the uncertain economic environment, so they have found that there’s an increased reliance on trip support partners who have the infrastructure in place to keep up with the daily changes worldwide,” he says.

“They find that they can supplement their team on specific tasking, allowing them to focus on the most critical, mission-essential tasking required to execute their trips as their passengers have come to expect.”

In the current environment, a traditional briefing package alone is no longer enough, says Vamvakas. “In this age of Covid-19, comprehensive trip feasibility is the first thing operators must consider when planning a mission.

“It is normally a very time-consuming process to research and fact check all the details,” she adds.

Operators need to consider, among other things, aspects such as the continually evolving Covid-19 entry restrictions impacting passengers and sometimes crew; testing requirements; the ability to arrange on-board testing; travel histories; vaccination statuses (including vaccine validity windows); ground logistics procedures (and how those continually change); supply chain availability; crew and passenger visa entry requirements; peak periods; and availability of services, Vamvakas highlights.

“We have put serious resources into feasibility, putting all the information operators need into one place, keeping it current, quality-controlling it constantly, and making it available to customers,” she says. 

Operators also need to assess the level of support they have at each location, according to LeDuc. “It is wise to use multiple sources for intelligence. Operators can use not only the most common inputs they receive from the trip support companies, but also consider other support resources that they may not have considered in the past,” he says.

“Consider using a corporate security team with resources on the ground at the location the team is travelling to. Likewise, consider having in-flight medical partners who can provide valuable information for your trip.”

LeDuc points out that the NBAA International Operators Committee (IOC) has regional representatives who are experts in the regions, and who often have access to well-connected sources of local expertise.

Specific Procedures

According to Vamvakas, operators need to understand that a ‘routine mission’ probably no longer exists. “Even domestic legs can be derailed without careful and thorough pre-planning.”

In the age of Covid-19, trip feasibility is the number one consideration for operators. “All the new Covid entry restrictions and testing requirements have made even the most ‘routine’ missions complex and challenging,” she says.

“It is no longer sufficient to just know who is onboard the aircraft. Now there is a need to account for their travel history, nationality, vaccination and testing status, and how that ties in with entry approvals and landing permits.”

Pre-trip planning checklists and planning timelines also need to be adjusted, says LeDuc. “With the changing requirements and increased involvement of governmental agencies in the approval process, there will be slightly longer lead-times, and more documentation than before.

“Operators need to factor the complexity and processing times into the timeline. If there is a trip being considered without a firm schedule yet, it is worth the time and effort to do some initial conferring with the support team to flush out as many of the unknowns as possible.”

Third-Party Support

Covid-19 tests are generally readily available through the major hotels in the cities traveled to, says LeDuc. “There are also multiple laboratory options at many of the airports. A reputable trip support provider should have access to testing locations and be able to point you in the right direction.”

Indeed, many of the FBOs can coordinate testing on-site, according to Vamvakas. “By having boots on the ground in more than 50 countries, we can rapidly respond whether it be to help our clients find trusted Covid-testing providers, or work on their behalf with government and airport officials to minimize any potential trip disruptors,” she says. ❚

MARIO PIEROBON

is a safety management consultant covering both fixed- and rotary-wing operations. He writes broadly on safety-related topics, with expertise of air operations and crew training safety regulations. As a consultant, Mario helps companies improve procedures. His knowledge of safety is valued by several industry-leading publications, including AvBuyer.

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