Page 19 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition

NEWS NEWS

FLYING THE SPIRIT OF UBUNTU VALLAIR SIGNS

By Heidi Gibson MOU WITH CHAMP

otivated by a sense of ‘unbun-

Mtu’ and armed with years of

aviation experience and a credit card, one
South African expat has helped to bring
home hundreds of young teachers and
students stranded across the world – all
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tertius Myburgh, from Johannesburg and

a commercial pilot who left South Africa
last year to take up a job in New Brunswick,
Canada found himself caught up in the mid- was just the start. In the end Maple Aviation Zimbabwean embassies in China.

dle of a problem about how to find a way to was going to organise a further four flights. “People don’t understand how difficult it

bring back fellow citizens when the world He continued to receive calls and requests is for Air Zimbabwe to do anything because

was busy shutting down airports, grounding from Asian embassies asking for assistance, of the sanctions. This is an airline that is

fleets and going into complete lockdown. either to get their citizens back or from South totally unappreciated. The perception is

“This all started when I was approached African embassies asking for help to get our that is not world class when I have to tell last five years and our customers are really seeing the benefits of

to help by my former high school headmas- citizens stuck all over Asia - Vietnam, Cam- you that they are. The crew is phemonimal. our cargo management digital solutions as they come into fruition.

ter from Hoerskool Florida. He got in touch bodia, Maldives, Hong Kong and Singapore – Their flight ops and planning is second to allair, an aircraft and asset specialist, and launch custom- Weight and Balance is a proven powerful, yet intuitive-to-use digi-

with me on Facebook and asked if I could home. He had found a way to cover his costs none. You have to think of the history of tal solution for advanced load planning and is designed to optimise

help him, his sister and my former science with people travelling in and out. this airline. Has there ever been a crash? Ver for the A321 freighter conversion (A321F), has signed aircraft loading while ensuring regulatory compliance, minimise

teacher. They had all gone on a trip to “Those in Hong Kong and Singapore were He said he had leased the air craft an MoU with CHAMP Cargosystems to develop the first cargo turnaround, make maximum use of available space, and reduce

Myanmar and could not get back home.” allowed to travel to Malaysia and stay over because he wanted to be in control of the management system for its prototype freighter conversion. fuel burn. Currently there is no software for the A321F as it is a

“My first suggestion was to hire a private in transit – so our flights became like a taxi costs so every hour he would pay a certain Based in Luxembourg, CHAMP is a supplier of integrated IT solu- brand-new conversion, and we are excited to partner with Vallair

jet but that was totally unaffordable. So it service as not one of the countries had amount as he wanted to give the savings tions for the air cargo industry. and be the first to offer this solution to the market.” Q

started with the three of them and they numbers that could warrant a full flight , each back to the citizens who wanted to get out. Vallair has been engaged in cargo conversions since 2015 and is

made contact with four more South Africans country had a few, it was a hop stop pick While the engine got fixed Myburgh had the launching lessor of the Airbus A321 freighter.

also there and that was seven in total. So up – and that was how we did it. What I did to make a plan to look after his stranded The partnership between Vallair and CHAMP is a collaboration

here I was faced with this problem or where at each location was to nominate a person passengers – all 120 of them. Again with the and a pooling of resources to provide CHAMP’s weight and balance DON’T BE BROKEN-HEARTED

am I going to find an aircraft and somehow to be an organiser. They had to get everyone help of the Zimbabwean diplomats he man- system for the new Airbus A321Fs and to establish a reliable OVER A BROKEN ENGINE.

put more people on the plane to make this together, registered, cleared and handle all aged to get them into a hotel at a good rate. e-freight system which can be utilised in conjunction with all of

whole exercise more cost effective.” the logistics. You have to remember I have But them there was a problem with the Vallair’s future A321F conversions. Engine Breakdown Cover.

Myburgh went to work and started making no staff - I created the name Maple Aviation finances. “You have to understand this meant Being able to offer CHAMP data and information on both the

contact with his aviation network and was as to help with the repatriation flights. Those that amount of R200 000 rand was going A321P2F and the A321PCF freighters will allow Vallair to contribute Insure now with

able to negotiate a deal with Air Zimbabwe. He that helped I allowed to fly for free,” he said. through my credit card every week and after a to a comprehensive cargo management system which is bespoke DJA Aviation.

leased a Boeing 767, plus its pilots and its crew. few times the SA Reserve bank froze account. to these freighter variants.

Ironically it turned out to be the same 30-year- THE CHINA FLIGHT They thought I was laundering money.” This package will then be offered as a cost effective, load efficient

old plane that had been used by former Presi- It quickly became clear that the situation in “I did charge passengers anything from $1 solution to their customers in conjunction with digitalised tracking

dent Robert Mugabe from time to time. China was really bad for some. These were 100 per seat per person and if the person was of all cargo.

It was the beginning of the corona virus pan- teachers and students who had lost their not able to pay we made a plan and never “The Airbus A321F is a new product and, as such, it is necessary
demic and people overseas were really hoping jobs, their visas had expired and in some left anyone behind. The aim was to assist at to provide the necessary infrastructure to enable our customers to

the South African government was going to cases they had to give up their accommo- minimal cost and to get as many people out. use it efficiently,” said Gregoire Lebigot, CEO of Vallair.

send their aircraft to pick them up. “I knew dation – they were destitute, sleeping in I would never have been able to do this with “As the most technologically advanced and environmentally
there was no ways those seven in Myanmar the streets with no income. Myburgh said the help and assistance of the Zimbabwe friendly freighter currently available, we see the A321F as the DJA Aviation is the longest-established aviation insurance
were ever going to be fetched. There were a eventually in mid-July a flight left with a full diplomatic counterparts in China. You have no future of e-commerce offering the biggest volume in its class and broking specialist in the South African insurance market and a

few repatriation flights from places like Wash- load of Thai nationals who wanted to get to idea of the red tape involved, the landing per- 20% reduction in fuel burn. The combination of our experience, market leader in developing customised insurance products for

ington but it took a while for those left behind Bangkok. From there the route was headed mits etc. In the end it is all about relationships. and CHAMP’s cargo management software, will enable us to offer the aviation industry. We employ more than 30 staff and utilise

to realise that SAA is not coming, “he said. to China to collect a group and return. Each time they sent a representative down to our customers cost effective, load efficient solutions for their cargo this great depth of aviation insurance knowledge, skill and

So then Myburgh looked at the cruise lin- But the aircraft broke down in Bangkok. the airports to oversee everything to make requirements. As a result of COVID we have seen a surge in the expertise to manage our clients’ aviation insurance portfolios.

ers also stuck in Manila and in the Philippines There was an oil leak in the left engine - the sure that their citizens were handled correctly air cargo industry driven by the demands of e-commerce, and the

and asked if they were keen to get involved. main shaft that drives the compress blades and they also looked after our South African capacity and efficiency of the A321F gives it the competitive edge

They told him that they needed to get all the inside the engine had to be sent for repair to citizens. That is the real unbuntu when fellow over other freighters currently available.”

South Africans and Zimbabweans working a registered Pratt and Whitney. That engine African countries step in to help each other.” As well as offering a higher volumetric capacity, the lower cargo

for them off as it was costing them money. A had to go from Harare, to Amsterdam, to “People ask why I did it. It was not to hold on the A321F allows for the transit of ten containers in addi-

cruise ship called ‘Sea Princess’ that had 160 Luxor, to Taipei and then back to Bangkok. make money. After the first it snowballed tion to the fourteen cargo positions available on the upper cargo

South Africans and Zimbabweans on board On board was a group of 120 passengers and you feel compelled to carry on. It’s deck; this ability to offer containerised cargo, increases efficiency PROUD SUPPORTER OF

THE SOUTH AFRICAN

agreed to send them home. The first repatri- that had been picked up from Guangzhou our human nature to try and assist for the by reducing turnaround times. GUIDE-DOGS ASSOCIATION

ation flight left Harare on its way to Manila – as the aircraft was not allowed to fly do- greater good. When you get a photo of a “CHAMP is delighted to enter into this new partnership with Defining the Right Approach to Aviation Insurance

with Myanmar as the fuel stop. mestically – the flight plan meant they had person or a thank you and you see them Vallair and we are proud to be supporting not only a market leader

“Of course we loaded the seven in there, to come out and then fly back in to Wuhan. back home and the joy of being with their but also another Luxembourg based company,” said Arnaud Lam-
picked up the others and flew back to SA” At this point Myburgh heaps praise for families it puts it all into perspective. The bert, CEO of CHAMP cargo systems. www.dja-aviation.co.za | Tel: 0800 FLYING

said Myburgh. Little did he know that this the help and assistance received by the real detail will have to go into a book.” Q “Digitalisation has been the focus of the air cargo industry for the An Authorised Financial Service Provider FSP No. 15808

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