Air Operations
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In a crisis airlift enables the rapid delivery of significant quantities of cargo over long ranges. However, it is the most expensive mode of transportation and should be used only if no alternatives are available. That said, due account must be taken of such important factors as accessibility of the victims and the urgency of the humanitarian crisis. At the onset of an emergency, the use of air transport is very often the only way to reach the victims in a timely manner.
Because of their high cost, airlift assets (fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters) should wherever possible be shared or made available for common use. When significant air assets are deployed to a crisis region, the UNJLC may be deployed and structured to include an Air Operations Cell, distinct from and in addition to any other movement control functions (which would then handle only the co-ordination of surface transportation). The UNJLC Air Operations Cell will be manned by one or more staff with appropriate professional experience and qualifications. Its primary role will be to coordinate the utilisation of all air assets made available for the common use of UN Agencies, IOs, NGOs and other humanitarian organisations. These air assets could include both regional and strategic aircraft.
These pages supplement the Air Operations pages of particular emergencies, and provide basic information about the types of aircraft rapidly available or commonly used, and the common saftey information provided by the UN Humanitarian Air Service to the humanitarian community.
