Mission critical

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Be it political unrest or the unrelenting battle against poverty, the United Nation's world food programme makes safety its priority when flying into danger zones.

After securing their aircraft with food and medical supplies, UN pilots face a race against time to deliver vital aid to hungry mouths across the globe.

The world food programme, which recently held the first Global Aviation Safety Conference for Humanitarian Air Operations, flies some 100 chartered aircraft a day to various trouble spots around the world.

We focus on what the people need," says Samir Sajet, the programme's Middle East aviation safety officer. "In Pakistan, after the earthquake last year we had to act very quickly. We employed 50 helicopters from different parts of the world and had to battle the bad weather to enter the country."

Victims of the disaster, which killed more than 300 people and left thousands homeless, were given food, blankets and medical supplies. "It was a fight against time to get into the country before the snow set in and it was difficult to operate this number of helicopters in such a small area," adds Sajet.

As well as helicopters, the food programme also deploys several different types of plane, all of which are chosen based on route, destination and the scale of operations. "In the Pakistan operation we used a number of helicopters including the MI8, MI26, Kamov and Pumas."

The UN operates in notoriously dangerous parts of the world and, as a result, employs only the most highly experienced pilots. "Although we ask for international standards we have our own additional requirements in terms of experience, hours flying, and training programme," explains Sajet.

"For example they must have familiarity of the areas they're flying to. The infrastructure in African airports and planes for example is not as safe as most western countries and we are facing big challenges in Afghanistan because of the dangers of mid air collision."

With high terrains, a complicated aerospace structure and minimum vertical separation between aircraft, pilots need to be very experienced to negotiate problems and obstacles. "In addition we require pilots to complete an extra safety requirement course before they are able to fly," explains Sajet.

As world conflict rages and climatic conditions continue to prevent food growth, more than 800 million people from developing countries have been left starving. But according to UN officials, only 8% of hunger's victims die in tragic high profile emergency situations, the vast majority are simply trapped in impoverished villages or slums.

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