Tecnam’s Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution Solution

In addition to the problem of refrigeration, distributing Covid vaccines can be costly and nearly impossible to get to remote areas. The logistics challenge could lead to a disproportionate delivery of a life-saving prophylactic. However, Tecnam has acted to provide a solution...

Tackling the challenge head-on, Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam has partnered with ultra-freezer manufacturer DESMON to re-purpose its P2012 twin-piston airplane and help provide Covid vaccine transportation.

Desmon S.p.A, one of Europe’s leading producers of professional refrigeration equipment, recently enriched its range of ultra-low temperature freezers with new models developed with a specific purpose as “biological banks”.

P2012 TRAVELCARE Platform

The aircraft platform which is named the P2012 TRAVELCARE has been developed specifically to help distributors worldwide reach even the most remote and inaccessible communities with vaccines, including locations with underdeveloped transport infrastructure. 

It is hoped that this will ensure timely and equitable delivery of help in the fight against Covid-19.

“As the first vaccine breakthroughs were announced, we realized that the communities in remote areas would face delays in receiving help,” said Giovanni Pascale Langer, Managing Director, Tecnam. “67% of European airports alone have runways shorter than 5,000ft, making them inaccessible to large aircraft. We decided to act fast.”

Equipped with DESMON’s ultra-freezer – which is designed to attain, maintain and track product temperature – Tecnam’s P2012 TRAVELCARE can transport as many as 115,000 vaccines to airfields with less than 1,850ft of paved or unpaved runway.

The P2012 TRAVELCARE platform is designed to maintain product temperature at up to minus 86°C during transportation, and minus 65°C for 10-12 hours after the system is unplugged for further distribution.

In addition to its unparalleled reach and refrigeration capability, the P2012 TRAVELCARE aircraft system can reduce the distribution cost to as little as US$0.005 per dose.

That is significantly less compared to the current means of transportation.

“P2012 TRAVELCARE was designed to facilitate equitable and efficient vaccine distribution,” Langer adds. “This is our contribution to the fight for a Covid-free world.

“With the dedicated support of our partners at DESMON, we worked tirelessly to re-purpose the P2012 aircraft, to meet all the necessary regulations for this special mission within less than a month," he added.

“The value of the P2012 platform will extend beyond this mission. Today, it will facilitate the vaccine transportation, tomorrow it will continue to serve communities thanks to its versatility and easy (re)configuration.”

Tecnam P2012 Versatility

The Tecnam P2012 twin-engine piston aircraft is a truly versatile platform, and is utilized around the world as a commuter airliner, cargo transportation, and for medivac operations.

Certified in 2018, the P2012 boasts a top speed of 195 knots, and a maximum range of 950 nautical miles. The aircraft offers an impressive useful load of 3,117 pounds, making it ideal for transporting large quantities of Covid-19 vaccinations efficiently to the communities in need of them. 

More information from www.tecnam.com

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