Ministry of Health Ambulance Helicopter Operation in the Covid-19 Pandemic Process

The Covid-19 pandemic, which appeared in China at the end of 2019 and spread to the whole world and spread to Turkey in March 2020, has negatively affected all sectors.

After the identification of COVID-19 by the scientific world, changes have begun in the world order, economic bottlenecks have begun to occur, and many sectors have faced problems that have not been encountered before. However, there have been major changes in the way people live and organizations work. The aviation sector has also taken its place at the beginning of the sectors most affected by COVID-19.

The aviation sector has been deeply affected in the operational field, in the logistics field and on the basis of subcontracting companies supporting the sector. Dec To the structure of the industry, due to the fact that a large number of people coexist at airports and travel in the same cabin, it has fallen within the scope of travel restriction measures that have developed around the world.

As a result of the measures taken, international aviation activities have come to a standstill as a result of countries closing their borders to the outside world As a result of all these developments, the aviation sector has suffered a deep financial wound all over the world.

Efforts are being made to minimize this negative impact of the aviation sector by various measures taken by countries and aviation companies.

In order to effectively and systematically maintain the pandemic fight by minimizing the damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in our country with the helicopter fleet owned by the Turkish Air Authority, the Turkish Air Authority Technical A.By S T.C The ambulance helicopter service provided to the Ministry of Health is being effectively maintained through an operational study based on crisis management.

THK Teknik A.Sh. within the scope of the maintenance and logistics operation carried out within the scope of the pandemic process, a number of measures have been developed within the scope of crisis management in order to carry out the ambulance operation at full capacity. For this purpose, the Air Ambulance helicopters maintenance authority of the Ministry of Health was moved from Isparta to the Etimesgut campus in Ankara and the central logistics management procedures were put into operation.

Dec March 1, 2020- 1, 2021, a total of 3,341 flight hours were achieved in 1 year. Mar 1, 2020- Mar 1, 2021. Mar 1, 2021, Helicopter flight hours were increased by 14.45% with the start of the pandemic. Mar 1, 2020- March 1, 2021, helicopter flight hours were increased by 14.45% with the beginning of the pandemic.

The aviation sector is fragile and sensitive due to its high technological level and multi-input feature of the sector, and it needs qualified planning, effective coordination and meticulous follow-up in its management, maintenance and operation.

Along with the fact that the Covid 19 virus, which has spread all over the world and is life-threatening for human health, has shown signs of transmission in our country, the need for an Ambulance helicopter operation that we have been carrying out for the last three years has become even greater. As a result of a series of evaluations in order to maintain the operation effectively, it was decided that this situation needed a crisis management and in this context, an important position was obtained in the disposal of the crisis by moving the helicopter operation we are continuing from our Isparta campus to our Ankara / Etimesgut campus. If we look at the scientific method followed in the implementation of these operations and the stages of the applied strategic plan,

Strategic Planning Processes:

Determination of logistics need centers and status of supply centers
Identification of possible supply centers
Selection of supply centers and penetration of the global supply system
Determination of target points and the strategy to be applied in procurement
Determination of target alternatives in procurement
Determination of target supply channels
Creation of a strategic plan.

1.1 Creation of a Strategic Plan

Before a strategic logistics plan is developed in the aviation sector, the people or team responsible for developing the plan must have sufficient and reliable information about corporate strategies and a supportive marketing plan to optimize cost-service swaps. (Zachary P. Rogers, Dale Rogers, Rudolf Leuschner, July 2018)

In addition, the team should have information about the cost and profitability of different alternatives to processes such as transportation, storage, logistics service providers.

With the development of the strategic plan, it is necessary to develop a concrete logistics plan to support this strategy. This prepared logistics plan includes certain activities that the logistics function will undertake to achieve its goals.

Strategic Level: At this level, the company takes into account only issues related to its business goals and customer service requirements.
Tactical Level: At this level, the company makes decisions about the number, size and location of distribution centers; preferred modes of transportation; and the type of inventory control system are the main elements in planning.
Operational Level: At this level, the company takes into account daily decisions such as acceleration policies, vehicle routing and scheduling. These decisions are often repetitive in nature.

(Zachary P. Rogers, Dale Rogers, Rudolf Leuschner, July 2018)

1.2 Operational Logistics activities implemented within the scope of Crisis Management.

the spread of the Covid-19 virus, which started in China in 2019 and spread to the whole world at almost lightning speed, up to the smallest piece of land all over the world, has not yet been kept secret, but no scientific authority has yet been able to explain this speed of spread.

Of our country. he met Virius in March 2020, which almost delivered the whole world, and to date, all state and private sector bodies, especially our health agencies and our health army, have been mobilized in the fight.

As a Turkish Aviation Institution, the Ministry of Health, which we maintain from our Isparta campus, maintains ambulance services from seventeen (17) helicopters from seventeen provinces of our country. As a result of the movement analysis and forecasts made in this context, as a result of the following reasons for the operation of the helicopter, the Turkish Aviation Authority Technical A.It has been decided to move to the Ankara campus of the Ş.

THK Teknik A. of helicopter operationReasons for moving to this Ankara campus.

Ankara's situational superiority in being able to reach every point of the country due to its geographical position.
Because of its proximity to decision-making machines, the superiority of the operation it carries
Due to the industrial capacity of Ankara, the logistics supportability capacity is high.
Convenience in foreign material supply and shipment activities.
The volume of capacity possessed in procuring and allocating technical personnel

With the transportation of ambulance helicopters to Ankara and the approval of the maintenance authority by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, the operation has been managed from Ankara since March 1, 2020. On the same date, it was announced by the Ministry of Health that the first case had been seen in Turkey.

1.3 Establishment of Operational Logistics Management system

Operational Logistics management is a dynamic process in which many disciplines are carried out together, the main elements of which are dec following:

Creation of a maintenance system,
Establishment of the supply chain,
It requires the organization of storage and distribution systems in a dynamic environment to meet all needs. (Zachary P. Rogers, Dale Rogers, Rudolf Leuschner, July 2018)

In order to develop a systematics that will ensure that Ambulance Helicopters are kept in continuous operation on a 24/7 basis, an operational logistics system built in a highly dynamic environment has been implemented.

17 Forward Operating Centers (UAVs) have been created for 17 helicopters so that the helicopters will serve the entire country. The placement points of UAVs are given in the image at the end of the article.

2. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR ACTIVITIES OF AMBULANCE HELICOPTERS

In order to effectively support the operational logistics system, the maintenance system is based on two main principles:

2.1 Line level maintenance system

The line level maintenance system is carried out in UAVs with line maintenance teams of 5-7 people and fully equipped line maintenance mobile vehicles.Planned and unplanned maintenance and repair activities at the line level of helicopters located at UAV points, the change operations of the materials that need to be changed depending on the time and the change and test needs depending on the specific working life are performed by the line maintenance teams on a 24/7 basis.In this context, the technicians needed are the most distinguished technical personnel of our country and they provide services under the approval and certification of our General Directorate of Civil Aviation. Likewise, the materials and spare parts needed by THK Teknik A.It is fulfilled by the logistics unit established in the Ankara Campus of Ş.

2.2 Base Level Maintenance and Repair Activities

Base maintenance activities are carried out in Ankara, which is in a logistically advantageous position in our country. Although it may be more frequent during periods when the operation is more intensive and weather conditions do not restrict the flight, line maintenance activities or troubleshooting operations are carried out in IHAM regions or at all points of Turkey without restrictions on the IHAM region.

Maintenance and repair activities carried out at the base include detailed maintenance, repair and research operations performed in the maintenance chapters specified in the technical documentation of helicopters.As a result of the analysis and results obtained, the impact of helicopter maintenance operations on performance is constantly evaluated and the necessary improvements are made. In this context, the necessary data are obtained from the fault records obtained from the system, monthly and annual analyzes are performed and the necessary measures are taken as a result of the analyzes to ensure that the helicopter performances are kept at the highest level. The following are the data obtained as a result of these analyzes.
2.3 Helicopter systems failure analysis

With regular analyzes performed to eliminate malfunctions, the system in which the malfunction is concentrated is examined on the basis of the aircraft 

Is. The conducted examination is presented in the Table.

The standard deviation of body failures is 1.311, the standard deviation of engine failures is 1.621, and the standard deviation of avionics failures is 0.778. The standard deviation of all failures is 1.323, and it is concluded that engine failures are more specialized on the basis of the helicopter.

Engine failures are more common in air vehicles approaching the engine change time, while body failures are observed more intensively in air vehicles with an older body flight time and age.

During the fault analysis, it was determined that some helicopters have more fault records than all air vehicles. This is due to the fact that the engine change time is approaching, as well as the terrain in which it operates is in more difficult conditions (Erzurum, Kars, Ardahan, Erzincan, Bayburt, Tunceli, Bingol) than other air vehicles. (EC-135 Maintenance handbook 2002) Engine failures are usually fixed by replacing the filter material with a service life. Body failures are various failures that have occurred due to the difficulty of terrain conditions. (For example, it was replaced with a new one because the front pilot's window cracked.) (EC-135 Maintenance Manual 2002)

It has been determined that the reason why some helicopters have more engine failure records than other aircraft is because the engine change time has approached. Approaching the engine change time caused various problems such as oil leakage, injector, starter motor failures due to the expiration of a certain working hour, and its operation was ensured by replacing the filter and injector. (EC-135 Maintenance Manual 2002)

Conducting fault analysis on a helicopter basis allows you to plan in advance for future failures and anticipate many failures in advance and take the necessary measures. Within the scope of the measures taken;

For aircraft approaching the engine change time, the fastest way to supply materials to be used in case of failure,
Fast supply of consumables and chemical materials from home and abroad for parts with jul, based on the body time and age,
As a result of the analyzes performed, it is possible to reduce the cost by not storing too much, etc. Methods are used.

2.    PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES

With the growth and development of sundays in logistics management in recent years, complex processes in procurement have been redefined and procurement activities have been redefined and the phrase “supply chain” has started to be used. With this definition, the supply chain has emerged as a Renaissance of logistics. This change is two major changes in the expectation and practice related to the performance of commercial activities. Supply chain and Logistics management. They are highly interrelated, but significantly different directions of contemporary strategic thinking. (Nguyen Hoang Tien, January 2020)

The supply chain (sometimes also called the value chain or the demand chain) consists of firms that cooperate to take advantage of strategic positioning and improve overall business efficiency. The supply chain relationship for each company involved reflects the strategic choice. Supply chain strategy is a kind of channel regulation based on the accepted management of dependencies and relationships. Supply chain operations require managerial processes that span functional areas within individual firms and connect business partners and customers across organizational boundaries. (Nguyen Hoang Tien, January 2020)

Emerging as the paradigm of the new era, supply chain activities are carried out in full integration with all producer and seller centers around the world through owned global supply links.

As a result of the organizational structure made in this context, pilot and helicopter medical personnel are resident in UAVs. The Pilot and auxiliary Technical personnel who will provide the flight together with 1 Helicopter in each province, as well as the Doctor's medical staff operate on a 7-day and 24-hour basis. Logistic capabilities are divided into Base and line maintenance, which are;

THK Technical Helicopter Ankara Maintenance center
Line level maintenance Mobile Maintenance teams

 as you are organized.

2.1 Establishment of supply chain and Implementation of Optimum Distribution system

Purchasing activities, which are an important process in the supply chain, more than a thousand manufacturers or sellers are reached at the same time with memberships made on the Internet at a global level, and procurement activities are carried out at the most affordable price and at the most convenient time. (Nguyen Hoang Tien, January 2020)

Due to the fact that the supply of materials and spare parts for helicopters is largely dependent on abroad,

An overseas procurement system has been created and a direct availability membership has been allocated to the international supply portfolio via the Internet in order to create a material measure and shipment system that can be accessed in the most serial manner and at the most affordable price to other seller companies, especially as a manufacturer.
In order to ensure speed in customs clearance processes and to carry out standard customs clearance processes in the most serial manner 

standard movement procedures have been developed by making a special agreement with a professional customs clearance company.

3. Storage and Distribution

In the context of supply chain management, logistics activities are carried out to transport and position inventory in order to obtain the desired time, place and purchase benefits at the lowest total cost. Inventory has a limited value until it is positioned at the right time and in the right place to support the transfer of ownership or the creation of added value.

If a firm does not consistently meet the requirements of time and place, it has nothing to sell and nothing of value to offer. In order for a supply chain to realize the maximum strategic benefit of logistics, the entire functional range of work must be integrated. Decisions in one functional area will affect the cost of others. It is this interrelation of functions that challenges the successful implementation of integrated logistics management. The nature of the following five logistic studies are interrelated

Order
Inventory
Transportation
Storage
Facility network

Warehousing includes many different aspects of supply chain operations. The interaction due to storage, order management, inventory or shipping activities is in direct interaction with the contemporary supply chain systems, warehouse functionality, Storage organization's supply chain that contributes to a valuable activity.  Effective logistics systems are not designed to keep inventory for a long time, but exist in cases where inventory storage is justified on the basis of cost and service. (Nguyen Hoang Tien, January 2020)

Under these conditions, in order to maintain the helicopter operation without interruption, the procurement storage and distribution procedures were separated in strict lines, and the supplied goods were collected in three main warehouses, and a distribution system was established from here to seventeen operating points.

Due to the fact that the Main Maintenance center is located in Ankara, the materials are mainly stored in our Ankara warehouse. However, the consumables needed for line-level maintenance performed at UAV points are provided from the centers where UAV points are located or from the provinces where aviation activities are concentrated, especially Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir.

As shown in the pictures, the logistics distribution system from Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir to UAV points is visible. Supply by domestic and foreign supply sources from Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir based on the materials received at the customs point linear programming, transportation method, which is the “least-cost” spring " the greatest benefit with the least cost obtained by the method according to the distribution of logistics and distribution operations were carried out. In this context, the total cost for Ankara warehouse center is 123.322,00, Istanbul warehouse center is 15.106,00, Izmir warehouse center is 8.657,00. Since the most materials are transported from Ankara, the most costly place is Ankara. It has been the most preferred location because the transportation unit cost is less.

4. Result

The helicopter operation conducted since March 1, 2020, when the Covid-19 virus was detected in our country, has been very successful as a result of the operational logistics system implemented to support the system at the most optimal level in a crisis environment. As a result of the Risk assessment conducted since the beginning of the crisis, the fleet was moved from Isparta to the Ankara / Etimesgut campus and the system was successfully maintained by conducting the necessary scientific analyzes to support the operational logistics of the procurement, Storage and Distribution system by creating an Ankara Logistics maintenance center.

In the analysis of my site, the available maintenance information system data were used and the supply chain principles for shortening maintenance efficiency and supply processes were effectively applied. For this purpose, purchasing activities, which are an important process in the supply chain, are reached by more than a thousand manufacturers or sellers at the same time with memberships made on the Internet at a global level, and procurement activities are carried out at the most affordable price and at the most convenient time. In order to carry out inventory control in the supply chain in the most effective way, linear programming methods were used in storage and distribution, and the “least costly risks” method was used from transportation methods.

According to this result, a total of 3,341 flight hours were achieved in 1 year. As a result of the implemented internet-based customer-seller meeting, 43% improvement was achieved in procurement compared to the previous year with the global procurement method applied. One of the transportation methods used in the storage and distribution system is the “least expensive facilities” linear programming method, the distribution system is used at the most effective level of the geography of the country to store materials and deliver materials to the farthest point with the least cost. With this method, a single-point Istanbul-based system previously made it possible to ship from Ankara and Izmir, and 38% savings were achieved compared to the previous year.

Ambulance helicopter of the Ministry of health of the Republic of Turkey logistics operation covid 19 crisis covid 19 in our country, next to the successful execution environment opersyonel methods to eliminate the problem of fiscal tasarrufuin is an important element of support I should point out that.

Resources:

EC-135 Maintenance handbook.2002, P.24,27,41,48.

Zachary S. Rogers, Dale Rogers, Rudolf Leuschner, The Logistics Managers'JULY 2018, Index.s.7,8.

Nguyen Hoang Tien, Global Supply Chain and Logistics Management, January 202, P 14. 

Şule Özkan, Operations Research, Quantitative Decision techniques, 200, P 122