Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I hope you’re doing well and staying safe and healthy.

After a rocky start, it appears that COVID vaccine rollouts are starting to gain momentum. I am personally optimistic that the options for business aviation travel will start to increase as we head toward summer. However, even when restrictions ease, COVID-19 testing is going to remain a routine aspect of international operations for the foreseeable future, possibly even with proof of vaccination.

We know finding reliable testing providers overseas isn’t easy, and adds additional layers of risk and stress to each mission, so I’m extremely excited to announce that we’re taking that additional burden off you.

We’ve been aggressively leveraging our global resources and contacts to find reliable testing providers and have now established a global database of COVID-19 viral testing providers across the majority of the top 200 international airports that our Trip Support customers most frequently use, including all of our Universal Aviation FBO Ground Services locations. We’re working rapidly to increase that number to more than 350 destinations worldwide.

We now have a reliable database of providers with the information you need, such as:

• Provider name and information
• Types of tests available
• Mobile or onsite testing availability
• Turnaround times
• Costs

So some good news is, you can now also request a custom Feasibility Guide, developed by Universal, for detailed trip-intelligence at any destination you’re considering. In the meantime, if you have a question about a testing provider at a certain location, please work directly with your Universal team.

Operating in a pandemic isn’t easy, as we’ve all learned! I hope that this eliminates some of the added stress. I’d love to hear about your plans this spring and summer and how you and your flight department are preparing.

In the meantime, stay safe and I look forward to our industry, and all of us, getting back in the air soon!

Warmest regards,

Greg