While the business aviation community works on a collaborative international approach to health management in operations, industry leaders are welcoming steps taken by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to outline principles and make recommendations for the restart and recovery of the global air transport system. ICAO on June 1 released the Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) report providing global guidance for aviation sector recovery.
“We commend ICAO and the task force for developing these principles and recommendations to assist the restart and recovery of the air transport system,” said International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) director-general Kurt Edwards. “Although the report speaks mainly to scheduled air transport and large airports, we at IBAC…are pleased to note the report’s support for protecting people, working as one aviation system, ensuring essential connectivity, and strengthening public confidence using public health measures that work with the aviation system.”
The report comes as IBAC is working with a related ICAO initiative, the Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA), a joint effort of international aviation, government, and health organizations to develop coordinated and practical operational approaches during the pandemic.
“Through CAPSCA, we have expanded the concept of the Public Health Corridor (PHC) to include some critical operational needs of the business aviation sector, such as ferry flights, maintenance flights, and delivery flights to public sector owners,” Edwards said. “These are the types of operations that cannot be delayed and can be managed within the envelope of confidence provided by the PHC concept.”
General Aviation Manufacturers Association president and CEO Pete Bunce agreed, praising the report and adding, “General and business aviation is working concurrently with similar health and safety protocols and is appreciative of the progress being made on Public Health Corridors. It is crucial that all sectors of the aviation industry work together to progress through the recovery process.”
