Nanjing is once again playing its part in helping to provide medical aid to assist with coronavirus fighting efforts in other countries. This time, it’s the USA as benefactor, with an airlift organised by private enterprises in the world’s time of need.
Within the last year, Nanjing-based Shunli Steel Group opened its first manufacturing facility outside of mainland China, in Monroe County, Michigan, USA. The idea to use the company’s link between China and the US to help out came from Administrative Assistant, Jing Loos.
Her boss, Bill Nolan, Chief Operating Officer of Shunli Steel USA, was immediately on board. “We know firsthand, because of our parent company being in Nanjing, China, what this (crisis) looks like,” he said, talking to The Monroe News.
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The parent company in Nanjing was able to arrange for a shipment of 26,000 surgical masks. Of these, 20,000 have gone to the Emergency Management and Home Security Department of Michigan, likely to be used by police and fire department officers. The remainder have been donated to the Monroe County Health Department.
Private Jets in Airlift from Nanjing to New York City
Elsewhere, two chartered private jets have been used to transport medical supplies all the way from Nanjing to coronavirus-stricken New York City.
However, the 11,800 kilometre hop is a few hundred kilometres longer than the maximum range of the two Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft. Hence, they made a stop to refuel in Anchorage, Alaska.
Landing in Nanjing last Thursday evening (26 March), the two aircraft and crews had an overnight rest before taking back to the skies. On board the airlift were 5.5 tons of N95 masks and other medical equipment when the aircraft took off lunchtime Friday.
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After another stop in Anchorage to refuel and clear US customs, the 60 million dollar jets landed at New York’s Teterboro Airport, where ground crews sent the aid on the final leg of its journey, to the city’s Mount Sinai Health System. The supplies will be of much assistance to the New York hospital network that has almost 40,000 employees.
The airlift flights were operated by NetJets, the largest private jet operator in the world that is owned by US conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway.
Speaking with Aviation International News, a NetJets spokeswoman said, “NetJets was proud to partner with Goldman Sachs and Mount Sinai Health System to transport critical medical supplies from China to New York City during a time of such need. We feel fortunate to have been able to leverage our aircraft to support such an important cause”.
