Aircraft Missions

Using its aircrafts, based in Africa, Aviation Sans Frontières is able to transport humanitarian personnel, send out essential goods and perform emergency medical evacuations. The association also provides logistic support to dozens of NGOs and international organisations, including the World Food Programme, UNICEF, WHO, Action Against Hunger, Médecins Sans Frontières, the French Red Cross...

An organization adapted to tough conditions

Aviation Sans Frontières’s fleet is made up of 2 Cessna Grand Caravan aircrafts which can carry either 11 people (two pilots and nine passengers) or one ton of basic necessities. Missions are frequently performed in difficult conditions, involving hostile environments, harsh weather conditions and landing in areas which are not adapted to aircraft operations. Due to these conditions, each mission must be carried out by two pilots. 

Matching the standards of other airline companies

As a United Nations authorised carrier, and the only association to hold a European Air Operator’s Certificate- obtained in 2012 and issued by the Directorate-General for Civil Aviation (Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile) - Aviation Sans Frontières complies to the same standards as any other certified airline.

Its aircrafts are regularly maintained by an approved Part-145 workshop (according to the European standards) and are inspected every 100 flight hours. Their airworthiness is controlled by an organisation certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Professional pilots

To ensure the success of the organisation’s operations, about twenty volunteer Aviation Sans Frontières pilots, all of whom professional pilots with the necessary qualifications, take turns to fly to sites. Over the course of a few weeks, the pilots, trained and qualified by Aviation Sans Frontières, gain unparalleled experience, owing to tough weather conditions and restricted navigation aid. 

Key figures

In 2021, Aviation Sans Frontières pilots transported 5 636 passengers (medical teams, sick people and associative staff) and 27 tons of humanitarian emergency relief.

In total, 1 652 flight hours have been flown from bases in Dungu (the Democratic Republic of Congo) and Bangui (Central african Republic).

Translation into English by Julian Malacan
Proof-reading in English by Chloe Anderson within the initiative PerMondo that is coordinated by the translation agency Mondo Agit