I want to welcome you to our updated website. The new look was long overdue but it never seemed like the right time to update the site. It always seemed to fall in the low priority category of things to do. But then, we had a pandemic and lockdowns. Good-bye busy schedule, or so I thought. Now I had the chance to catch up on all those “low priority” items like updating the website. Fortunately, I found a very talented web builder who did the building for me and did a fantastic job! But I had a sense there should be more involved than just updating pages and pictures on a site. I had a feeling something was missing which had to be included for the update to be complete. Much of the work I do involves assisting civil aviation authorities to meet ICAO oversight obligations. I provide consulting services on other matters but those services do not require being on-site for extended periods. The problem with helping civil aviation authorities is that there has been a long-standing precedent that required very expensive contracts most could not afford. As a result, such contracts are far and few between. When they pop up it’s because the authority is in trouble and will pay any price to fix the problem. At the start of the lockdown, a very wise person gave me the idea of video consulting. That started a chain reaction: revamp the website – develop a new system to assist clients – make it affordable – pay only for what you need. Sometimes, when you have time to think, like during a lockdown, you can make things happen.

In 2019, I spent time in Asia doing contract work for an aviation safety organization. During my time there, I spoke with a director-general level manager who provided insight as to why they hadn’t obtained assistance to comply with his country’s international obligations. He informed me that consultants had approached his organization offering multi-million-dollar contracts as a panacea to meet international standards. He also shared that he and his staff wanted to make changes to improve safety oversight but that getting such assistance was out of reach given the huge amounts of money associated with such contracts. These contracts can represent a large percentage of their annual budget making it nearly impossible to get governmental approval. Further, it takes away the financial resources needed for sustaining an oversight authority. The way this manager described the issues made me realize that those countries that needed the most help could least afford it. No revelation there but how do you fix it? I asked myself, how do you help countries that can’t afford expensive contracts? During my time in lockdown, I figured out a way to provide these countries with affordable assistance.

What if these organizations could get only the help they need without the huge expense of mobilizing consultants and support staff across the globe? What if we could eliminate huge airfares, hotel, and per-diem costs that make up the bulk of most consulting contracts?  What if there was a way to use technology to reduce onsite time and reduce costs as a consequence? Most civil aviation authorities have staff that knows what they are obligated to do but may not know how to get started or how to get there. Give these organizations a starting point and a path to move forward that’s affordable and they can do most of the work themselves with minimal assistance. I figured out that most of the consulting work I provide assisting civil aviation authorities does not necessitate long flights to faraway places for extended periods. With today’s technology, much of it can be done remotely with a substantial savings to the authority. They can apply the expense to a credit card.  Instead of spending millions of dollars on expensive contracts, that financial resource can be applied to sustaining the organization’s obligations. Thanks to that manager in Asia for giving me the insight into finding a more cost-effective way to assist these authorities in a substantive way. 

The pandemic has been very costly in terms of human lives taken and needs to be taken seriously. However, it’s vital to the human spirit to seize the moment when such challenges are thrust upon us. The pandemic, and the ideas and insights of others, gave me an opportunity to figure out a way to help others in a way I never would have imagined.

I invite all of you to view the website. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or think we can assist you. There’s no obligation.

Stay Safe!

Jacques