AIRBUS HELICOPTERS NORTH AMERICA SUPPORT DURING COVID-19
Around 75% of the work done by Airbus Helicopters North America is in support of critical helicopter missions, including emergency medical services, law enforcement agencies, infrastructure companies, and key governmental and military customers such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the U.S. Army and National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, and Customs & Border Protection - all of whom are performing helicopter flights that the country relies on right now.
This unprecedented COVID-19 situation has changed the way that we are currently working, as we adapt our operations to keep our employees safe with the necessary measures implemented in our sites, so we can continue to support our customers and their missions saving lives, protecting citizens and maintaining critical infrastructure.
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS PARAMOUNT
In Airbus facilities across Canada and the U.S., stringent health and safety practices and measures have been implemented to protect the health and safety of our employees, based on guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the CDC and applicable local authorities.
Our facility and cleaning teams are working to rigorously clean and disinfect workstations multiple times a day, masks are mandatory for everyone on site, and hand sanitizer is also available as needed.
We have some of our workforce currently working from home, and we have implemented staggered shifts for those on-site in order to reduce the number of people in any given area at one time.
The Airbus Helicopters sites in the U.S. and Canada remain open, and we continue to receive deliveries of parts as planned. At the current moment, all Airbus Helicopters logistical hubs are operating as normal and we have a very large stock of spare parts in North America to continue to support your operations.
Airbus Helicopters has issued guidance about how to properly clean and disinfect helicopters, workspaces and tools that have been contaminated by COVID-19, including processes to be followed and disinfection material to be used. (Information Notice 3476-I-12).
The company is also working on new and existing solutions for certain aircraft to help ensure additional protection against the transmission of the novel Coronavirus. We have worked on a cabin cockpit isolation, which provides a barrier between the infected or possibly infected patients and the flight crews, thereby increasing the level of protection during flight. Our facilities in Fort Erie, Canada, have produced such barriers and are working with customers on this specific need. We are also aiding customers as needed to adapt their aircraft as specifically needed by their operations, including certification on certain aircraft of a new air filter.
TRAINING
Airbus Helicopters North America is committed to supporting our local communities during this challenging time.
Mask donations
We are also honored to have been able to donate thousands of surgical masks to the local Fort Erie Fire Department and the Niagara Falls Fire Department in Ontario, Grand Prairie Fire Department in Texas, and to the volunteer Fire Department in Mississippi. We thank you for all you do to support local communities.
Drives for local communities
Our employees organized several drives to support local communities.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM - FORT ERIE (COPE)
Airbus Helicopters Canada employees in Fort Erie contributed to a physically distant food drive in support of Community Outreach Program – Fort Erie (COPE). With so many neighbours and friends facing challenges in this economic crisis, we are grateful to be able to give back and support COPE’s emergency food bank for those in need in our community. We thank COPE for their very important work. Also, many thanks to our employees who gave so generously – Airbus was pleased to match their contributions.
GRAND PRAIRIE HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAM
Airbus Helicopters Inc. Texas locations collected 90+ items to donate to Grand Prairie Homeless Outreach program.
NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK
Thanks to Airbus Helicopters Inc.’s employee generosity, we have raised a total of $3,420 for the NTFB. Airbus Helicopters Inc. matched the raised amount bringing the total to $6,840.
UNITED WAY
Airbus Helicopters Inc. employees in our Columbus facility assisted United Way with food collection and assembling meal packages.
Free training course to local organizations
In an effort to promote safety and diversity in the aviation industry, Airbus Commercial and Airbus Helicopters, Inc. have partnered up to offer training scholarships to members of trade organizations including Women in Aviation International (WAI) and the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP).
In the months of May and June, the Airbus Helicopters North America (AHNA) Training Center, with support from its simulation partner Helisim, sponsored more than 10 scholarship slots in maintenance and pilot safety courses. All our courses are conducted with all necessary health and safety guidelines in place. These sponsored training slots were in addition to the scholarships offered by the AHNA Training Center on an annual recurring basis.
In the midst of COVID-19, Airbus helicopters are out in full force, helping support a variety of missions for the community. From delivering medical supplies to cruise ships early during the crisis, to transferring COVID-19 patients to multiple hospitals, to patrolling testing sites, our customers are on the front line helping protect their communities.
We want to thank them for their untiring efforts in bringing relief to some of the hardest hit areas, as well as around the country. By transporting patients via helicopter to surrounding area hospitals, medevac operators have been able to ease the pressure on specific hospitals that have been hit particularly hard during these times. When the hospitals lacked the resources to provide enough oxygen and respiratory support to all of the patients in critical need, patients were airlifted to surrounding area hospitals as well as in nearby states, in some cases. To carry out these missions, the crews wear all necessary PPE gear in order to protect themselves and the patients as much as possible.
