Avinode has rolled out a targeted online feature, Avinode Aid, to connect brokers with available air ambulance aircraft that might be needed for air medical transport or humanitarian relief missions. Offered for free through the end of this year, Avinode Aid is accessible to all operators, whether or not they are currently Avinode members.
Avinode Aid breaks down search results to enable brokers to easily identify available fixed-wing air ambulances. Similarly, medical helicopters are in a separate category in Avinode’s helicopter search. Avinode further will promote medical aircraft placed on the platform through its email and social media communications.
“It is critical for the business air charter community to collaborate during this pandemic, to find ways to bring special mission aircraft to those in need,” said Per Marthinsson, executive v-p of Avinode Group. “Technology is an enabler of this collaboration.”
Speaking on Wednesday during a Corporate Jet Investor Town Hall on charter, Marthinsson added, “We’re encouraged by what operators and brokers are doing,” and said Avinode looked at how it could contribute. Avinode has had some air ambulances on its platform, but this aggregates them to make the information available to operators and buyers. “We carved out a portion focused on air ambulances," he said. "We want to make sure these critical assets are readily available.”