Air Serv International change of focus

[HighWeGo]

The (not so) new Canadian CEO and his South African Director of Progrm Development have taken Air Serv to an all time low. Non Profit and Humanitarian missions have been mismanaged and compromised! It appears that a Congo Commercial Airline is the new direction. It's all about money and power! Safety appears to be a NON ISSUE!
Evil! Scandalous and Evil!!

[HighWeGo]

No........

[KRONOS]

Who will be suckered into investing / donating for this exercise????? :yuk: :yuk:

[partyhopper]

It’s evident from your comments that you were once affiliated with Air Serv International. It’s also clear from the ignorance of your statements that you no longer are, and if so, it’s only by some grace of God and I wouldn’t plan on being there much longer.

Change is inevitable. For Air Serv to survive, they must evolve in a manner which allows them to productively impact those environments in which they operate. Just because the vision is EVOLVING from solely providing disaster response to initiating growth and sustainable development does not mean they have deviated from their humanitarian mission. In fact, they’re closer to it now more than ever. It’s easy to go into a crisis and leave when the excitement is over. It’s a much harder thing to stick around, implement change and stay to see it through.

You sound like a very bitter person. For the sake of their future, I hope Air Serv is quick to clean house and get rid of snakes like you. I have a feeling as to who you are and my, my, how quickly loyalties change and lines of friendship blur… I’d be a little more concerned with that shady aviation brokerage operation building itself out by Middleburg.

The very two people you mention are the two who are working the hardest to keep the doors open and the only reason Air Serv didn’t fall after the likes of CJ.
It’s obvious that you have too much time on your hands and can think of nothing more productive to do than try and sully the reputation of a good organization. Worse, you’re now making it personal. In the rare likelihood that you are currently with ASI, I suggest you that you learn how to not bite the hand that feeds you and keep your mouth shut, or else get out. And in the case that they have already wisely PUT you out, move on, get over it, get a life, and :mad: off.

[V1... Ooops]

For Air Serv to survive, they must evolve in a manner which allows them to productively impact those environments in which they operate. Just because the vision is EVOLVING... does not mean they have deviated from their humanitarian mission...

What you say is very true, and it is clear that you write with a genuine passion for the concept of humanitarian air service that is delivered by an organization that operates using a non-commercial model. I don't have any doubt about your sincerity, or the nobility of the model you propose.

I think, though, that a lot of the criticism and cynicism that has been expressed here in this forum over the years arises because there has historically been a credibility gap between what Air Serv has published in their mission statement, goals and objectives, and press releases, and the way they have actually carried out their activities.

I can understand how these discrepancies between philosophy and operational reality arise. Air Serv has always been forging a new service delivery model within the industry, and in the course of trying to translate a new vision into reality, there are going to be differences of opinion (both internal and external) about how to best accomplish the goal. On top of that, there will always be skepticism expressed by commercial operators who see the not-for-profit concept as a competitive threat to their traditional business model.

Although I support in principle the concept of not-for-profit delivery of humanitarian service (whether this is aircraft service by Air Serv, medical service by Médecins Sans Frontières, or humanitarian relief in conflict by the Red Cross), I think Air Serv top management - and I'm referring to board-level management here - has consistently failed to ensure that their line managers actually 'walk the walk', rather than just 'talking the talk', when it comes to staying true on a day to day basis to what Air Serv has published as their Mission Statement and Basic Beliefs.

Air Serv line managers have far too often compromised the values expressed in their Mission Statement and Basic Beliefs at a macro level by making local or operational decisions on the basis that "the end justifies the means" - in other words, that in order to achieve a noble and defensible larger goal (that which is expressed in the Mission Statement and Basic Beliefs), it is acceptable to make a series of ignoble and indefensible decisions along the way. This, I think, is the root cause of today's grief.

Air Serv's overall organizational goals have always been noble, and I am sure that as they evolve, they will continue to be worthy of respect. The challenge that Air Serv faces at this moment is one of organizational development and management training. Senior management needs to take action to ensure that all the small field-level decisions that get made along the way not only support achievement of the overall goal, but are both congruent with, and supportive of, the values and beliefs that are expressed in the overall goal.

[CloudQueen]

If Air Servs house gets any cleaner it will be vacant! How many employees are at the home office in Warrenton now? 12 and a few consultants.

Air Serv has no choice but to change direction, NGOs don't want anything to do with them.

I sure hope their SkyWorld / 135 pipe dream pans out, otherwise their only hope will be to return to their Christian roots and pray for a miracle!

[curiousgeorge]

CloudQueen, i don't know where you get your information from but all you are really doing is showing your complete ignorance of the reality of the situation. The change of direction has ZERO to do with the NGO's and if you were as informed as you claimed to be you would be aware of the multiple letters of support we receive from all our partners including the USG donors. In the other ASI thread you claim 90% of government funding has been lost, me thinks you need a new calculator.

Our NGO partners are as supportive as ever, possibly even more so. If you took your head our of your &ss long enough to see reality you would know the change in direction is aimed at being a better organized, efficient and superior humanitarian aviation provider. Whoever you are, good riddance as the organization can do without morons like you.

[Fuzzy Lager]

Airserv has bled all its good people and now it has no skills and no money. A bad combination. The NGO's that are so 'supportive' can see this too.

The bimbo and the pit bull, although they make a cute couple, are ineffective and lack depth. They don't know enough about what they are doing. Anyone that stands up to them gets fired.

[Apet]

Dear Fuzzy Coward (and all the rest of you hiding behind anonymity)

I suggest if you have any constructive input to give about the capabilities of the management of ASI you send your grievances to our BOD, or perhaps you did already and they didn't give it more then a idle glance :rolleyes:.

If you are the upstanding competent individual you claim to be, come out from behind your silly disguise and tell us how you really feel! Other then your hate for pilots and ASI management, any other people you like to pick on while we are at it?

If you know enough about me and my lack of depth you should also know better than to post bitter unfounded BS. Your issues with JP are your own. Leave me out of it. I am doing my job and my utmost to ensure that ASI stays around long enough to be a great service to humanity.

If you have something to say, say it to my face or move the heck on already! :ugh:

PS. I don't mind being called a pitbull but i seriously doubt JP will be too pleased at being called a bimbo. :=

[V1... Ooops]

Apet:

I don't know you, though it is apparent from your comment above that you work for Air Serv.

I did my best to write a reasoned, thoughtful, and constructive comment a few posts higher up. If you have time, I would appreciate your opinion of the issue that I raised.

FYI I have never worked for Air Serv, although I am familiar with the organization.

[SAT_BOSS]

ASI Board and Management.

It's very simple:

No NGO, Government, Private Corporation is going to give you any work because they can actually get SUED if they hire you and you as a "Non Profit" (:*) has not done the following:

- If you don't have an AOC and therefore OVERSIGHT.
- If your quotes are CONSISTENTLY higher for NON PROFIT work than those charged by reputable carriers that have AOC's.
- You don't really need a crystal ball, you have wrecked many aircraft and helicopters all over Africa and Afghanistan and actually ended off KILLING people (& please don't give me the BS that the AOC was not your "problem" in the DRC 1900 Crash - YOUR NAME ASI was on the door)

Maybe you all should hire someone like V1 and ask him to plan your organization so it can be a true professional and work alongside other partners that have done the necessary due diligence.

Thanks

[KRONOS]

Rumour has it the Pitbull and the Bimbo got the boot....

[Fuzzy Lager]

Is ASI still operating?

[powerbar]

Air Serv is still operating their programs in Mozambique, Chad and Jordan/Iraq. Home office has scaled back to about 7 people from what I've heard - not sure what the future looks like...

[MungoP]

So what happened to the Goma crews ? Where did DT move to ?

[V1... Ooops]

I was in Kinshasa at the beginning of May, and was informed that all of the AirServ operations in Congo had shut down at the start of May. Not sure what happened to the aircraft - I didn't see any of their aircraft in Kinshasa (N'dolo or N'Djili), didn't have a chance to look around in Goma.

[grizzled]

Air Serv current status . . .

I have a past association with ASI and would really appreciate any current info on their situation. Are they still viable? Are they about to "go under"? What's the real scoop?

PM's welcome of course.

Thanks,
Grizz