EATC and MCCE* have proven again that acting in concert offers optimized and swift air mobility solutions for the member nations.
EATC planned and tasked a mission on behalf of Belgium to transport the NATO Secretary General on 11 and 12 June 2019 to and from Keflavik (Iceland). Everything was settled when the news broke at the last moment that the aircraft was not available due to technical reasons.
EATC’s mission control center, where EATC’s worldwide flight activities are monitored on a 24/7 basis, reacted promptly. They contacted the MCCE. Together in no time found the two partners an excellent and effective alternative : a Danish Challenger VIP aircraft was made available to Belgium. Setting up this winning “Danish solution” was rendered possible thanks to a quick interaction, outstanding professionalism and genuine cooperative efforts between EATC and MCCE. Payment by Belgium to Denmark is done through the ATARES** arrangement.
This could of course be recorded as a fairly ordinary event for EATC …… just another one out of tens of similar VIP flights. The truth however is that this particular mission has been the result of a swift and effective combined planning effort. The outcome is exactly what the two entities are always striving to achieve and what they are standing for : sharing air mobility resources to better satisfy their member nations, using effective synergies and sharing common values based on a relationship defined by mutual trust and confidence!
* Movement Coordination Center Europe
** Air Transport & Air-to-air Refuelling and other Exchange of Services
This arrangement facilitates mutual support through the exchange of services without any monetary exchange. ATARES is the main currency used among the EATC and MCCE member nations to support each other.
All EATC member nations are also MCCE members.
