Management of Air Cargo: Challenges and Turnaround Activities

This article discusses the challenges faced by pilots delivering air cargo to remote and rural villages in Columbia. It covers the turnaround activities and handling requirements for fuel transportation. The article also highlights the dishonesty of cargo agents and the problems faced by pilots while flying over the dense forest of Brazil.

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Management of Air Cargo
The Daredevil Pilots of Columbia
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Problems faced.................................................................................................................................3
Challenges of delivering air cargo to the remote and rural villages................................................3
Turnaround Activities......................................................................................................................4
Dishonesty of cargo agent...............................................................................................................5
Handling requirements while transporting fuel...............................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
Airplanes have become very important and play a vital role in making our life easy. In this
technological age, we have eased our work with the help of radar and scanners, but there are still
countries like Columbia who is isolated from this privilege and also many areas that does not
have any connection to the city. DC3 cargo planes are used for delivering food and goods to the
villagers that are isolated from the rest of the world. The destination is one of the most remote
destinations in the world and one of the most perilous air routes in the world. On top of it
Columbian weather changes over time, these pilots fly through storms in decrepit planes over
one of the densest forest in the world been the Brazilian to deliver food and goods to these
villages.
Columbia circles across the Amazonian rainforest, the weather here changes in minutes. There is
no space for an emergency landing, an impenetrable jungle twice the size of Texas. On top of it,
usually during bad weather, there is no visibility and the radio is Silent. DC3 plane is a
commercial aviation icon and an aerial workhorse. These planes were used in a large number
during WWII. These planes have been used for a long time, so when it comes to cargo has a pilot
and a mechanic, Just in case if something goes wrong thing can be taken care off while the plane
is flying across the green hell.

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Source- www.ezilon.com

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Problems faced
Nothing goes in favor to a certain extent when it comes to these pilots they fly on their own over
the biggest rainforest in the world. If something goes wrong, they are completely fallen on their
own in the jungle. On top of it there are issues like weather, lack of visibility neither they get any
sort of help from the radio. The plane is operated on their own by watching and understanding
the location(Amaruchkul, Cooper & Gupta, 2010). DC3 was made during WWII and flying those
planes after five or six-decade is not easy. The plane can have a sort of breakdown while it is in
the air (Amorim DA Cunha, Macário & Reis, 2017).
The challenges of delivering air cargo to the remote and rural villages
The first and for the most issue that is faced is transportation. Villages are so isolated in this area
that neither they have roads not even direction signals that can lead us to the place(Hanaoka &
Phoosanabhongs, 2010). As their location is in the middle of the forest there is no scope of
landing the plane as the place is covered with trees, Several and dozens of planes have vanished
into the dense jungle, swallowed up by the vegetation. On the other hand landing zone is slippery
and pitted with holes. There is no control tower across the area, Everything is done the old
fashioned way as it was back in the 1920s and ’30s. The pilot work on his intuition and

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experience with real-time judgments according to the situation(Hanaoka & Phoosanabhongs,
2010).
Source- www.pri.org
It is important to for a town like Acaricuara which is so remote that without this lifesaver DC3
plane. The village will even run out of basic food and daily needs. There is no other way apart
from cargo planes. Landing and distribution take time and the weather there changes in fractions
leaving the pilot in a confused state, whether it would be fine to get them back in the air. This
takes time as storms are very usual in this area and there is no forecast done for it(Hellermann,
Huchzermeier & Spinler, 2013).

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Turnaround Activities
The cargo system as we are surviving with all its efforts here in Columbia. Arriving off a plane is
considered as a big event in their remote and rural areas, where the air cargo provides the only
mean and access to the other world. On the other hand, the situation is completely different when
we talk about a major commercial airport which is equipped with the latest technology and get
regular information from the control tower (Kupfer, Meersman, Onghena & Van de Voorde,
2017). They get to fly the latest and the best technology that prevails in the market, In fact, their
airplanes go under regular maintenance to make sure that it functions well during the flight(Oktal
& Ozger, 2013).
The major turn around will be:
I. The commercial airport is designed to keep the work in ease, thus they a control tower
and a management center, then carefully monitor and provides all the necessary
information to the planes. While on the other hand, in Columbia there is no such facility,
Even the runway is very short in comprising to any runways in the world. They have
never had the privilege of going through maintenance (Габріелова & Войцеховський,
2013).
II. Transportation facility works as a backbone for the commercial airport where good is
dumped once the flight makes contact with the ground and then they are carefully

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transported to the desired destination. This works as a sub-department and keeps the
business in ease (Shiao & Hwang, 2013). However, coming back to the rainforest which
has never had roads, here the people gather the air cargo plane and purchase the required
stuff that they are willing to and is further carried by them to the place where they want it
to be.
III. Airport management system keeps a track of passenger, baggage, handling and tagging,
information distribution and air traffic control. Thus keep the data in a well a managed
way that does not create confusion around. While in the Brazilian forest if something
goes wrong the pilot usually drops the cargo out of the plane to reduce the weight and if
they face a crash landing, then they are stranded in the middle of the forest for weeks
(Stuermer, 2011).
Dishonesty of cargo agent
Till now this is clear why these lifesavers are tagged as a daredevil, It takes immense strength
for this job. Once the cargo has reached the destination, at times the cargo agent delivers the
cargo to the desired location. This cargo ensures that the people residing in the remote area
get the basic requirement for their living. If the service stops they might even starve to death.
In such a situation if the cargo is not delivered to the right place at the right time. The thing
might get worse of someplace, On the other hand, if the cargo is handled properly, it might

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also result in complete damage of the good and the family will be waiting for the cargo plane
to arrive.
Source- www.logisticcargo.net
Handling requirements while transporting fuel
Their DC3 Planes are designed to carry weight to a large amount, But keeping in mind the
condition on which these planes are flying around, they are supposed to take extra care when
it comes to transporting a, When it comes to a highly inflammable fuel thing might get even
worse cause at the time of landing at the airstrip is short and has pitted holes in it. Things
might get worse if something goes wrong while getting the plane on the ground. If any of the
engines, unfortunately, stops working during while the plane is in the air under such
condition in Columbia generally crash landings are done, And the plane is carrying fuel at

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that point of the time the situation can really go out of hand which can cause loss of property
as well as life.

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References
Amaruchkul, K., Cooper, W., & Gupta, D. (2010). A Note on Air-Cargo Capacity
Contracts. Production And Operations Management, 20(1), 152-162.
Amorim da Cunha, D., Macário, R., & Reis, V. (2017). Keeping cargo security costs down: A
risk-based approach to air cargo airport security in small and medium airports. Journal Of
Air Transport Management, 61, 115-122.
Chao, C., & Li, R. (2017). Effects of cargo types and load efficiency on airline cargo
revenues. Journal Of Air Transport Management, 61, 26-33.
Hanaoka, S., & Phoosanabhongs, E. (2010). Estimation of the occurrence of “short-shipping” of
air cargo. Journal Of Air Transport Management, 16(6), 315-319.

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Hellermann, R., Huchzermeier, A., & Spinler, S. (2013). Options Contracts with Overbooking in
the Air Cargo Industry. Decision Sciences, 44(2), 297-327.
Kupfer, F., Meersman, H., Onghena, E., & Van de Voorde, E. (2017). The underlying drivers
and future development of air cargo. Journal Of Air Transport Management, 61, 6-14.
Oktal, H., & Ozger, A. (2013). Hub location in air cargo transportation: A case study. Journal Of
Air Transport Management, 27, 1-4.
Shiao, G., & Hwang, C. (2013). Analyzing competition of international air cargo carriers in the
Asian general air cargo markets. Transport Policy, 27, 164-170.
Stuermer, C. (2011). Reggie/flotillin and the targeted delivery of cargo. Journal Of
Neurochemistry, 116(5), 708-713.
Габріелова, Т., & Войцеховський, В. (2013). IMPACT OF INFORMATION ON THE
DELIVERY OF CARGO WITH AIR TRANSPORT. Science-Based Technologies, 19(3).
Image References
Ancient DC-3s deliver hope in Colombia, and seat belts are optional. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-01-13/ancient-dc-3s-deliver-hope-colombia-and-
seatbelts-are-optional
Road Map of Columbia and Columbian Road Maps. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.ezilon.com/maps/south-america/columbia-road-maps.html

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USA, L. (2019). Get Freight Shipping Rates Latin America & Worldwide. Retrieved from
http://www.logisticargo.net/shipping-quotes.php