TASC Aviation: Ready to take on the task

As acclaimed business psychologist Peter Drucker said: “Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.” A courageous decision like that made by Jimmy Dube, managing director of newly established TASC Aviation Consultancy, who took the leap to start his business during a pandemic.

Seeing great opportunity within the current climate, Dube, who holds a Masters degree in Business Administration and is also a Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK), decided to set up TASC Aviation after seeing a gap in the market.

“TASC was born from realising a need for a one-stop aviation solution for customers,” he tells ACW. “For example, if a customer approaches a scheduled airline with a cargo requirement that the airline is unable to accommodate in terms of capacity, routing, origin and destination, the operator is likely to turn down the request and very unlikely to refer the enquiry to a competing operator. TASC would provide a solution by contacting its own network of operators.

“TASC Aviation is in the business of air cargo charter brokerage and consultancy services. The services include finding suitable cargo aircraft for customers’ cargo requirements, arranging for the related flight clearances and arranging for the cargo handling services at origin and destination, according to the customers’ specific requirements. We also provide specialised aircraft lease arrangements.”

Dube notes that the significant difference between broker services and a GSA services is that a charter broker looks for aircraft for specific cargo, whereas GSAs look for cargo for specific aircraft.

“Establishing relationships with a wide network of aircraft operators gives TASC access to a wide range of aircraft types and sizes to choose from,” he explains. “This in turn helps us to provide the right size aircraft for each customer’s cargo requirements. These charter services also help our operators to increase the utilisation of their aircraft.”

Extensive experience

Dube has had an extensive career in aviation and logistics and draws on these experiences to offer consultation services on air network design, start up and in assisting aircraft operators to meet regulatory requirements.

Before establishing TASC, he was working at DHL Aviation South Africa as the network control manager but also held other positions within the company over the years including roles within commercial management, flight operations, general management and quality and flight safety management.

“I obtained good exposure, sound training and great work experience in one of the best organisations in the aviation and logistics industry,” Dube tells ACW.

“Most experience comes from my previous employment. On the other hand, TASC as a going concern has been involved in air cargo charters for time and temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals, freight forwarders and aid agencies.”

Charters on the rise

Cargo charters have proved vital as capacity constraints have pinched the industry. Dube believes they will continue to be important but warns the high cost of air charters may affect this.

“Passenger flight schedules are largely designed for passenger movement patterns and not necessarily ideal for cargo movement patterns,” he explains. “Dedicated air cargo charters have not only filled up the capacity shortfall but have also provided direct cargo routings to destinations and reduced transit times by avoiding routing via operators’ hubs or bases.

“Cargo capacity will increase whenever passenger flights will operate again. Air charters should improve operating efficiencies and reduce costs if they are to maintain popularity post-pandemic but the high cost of air charters could push the cargo market pendulum back to passenger aircraft belly space as soon as it will be readily available.”

Dube, who holds commercial pilot and aircraft engineer’s licences himself, says that success in air charter brokering comes when the focus shifts from being operator centric to being customer centric. “The ability to provide customers with the right aircraft at the right price and at the right time is a key success factor.”

Onwards and upwards

This is only the start for TASC Aviation. “I hope TASC will establish a solid and trustworthy footprint in the air cargo market by providing customer centred and Tailor-made Aviation Solution and Consultancy services,” Dube concludes. “With the requisite confidence, we hope the market will continually entrust TASC Aviation with the task of providing the most appropriate aviation solutions possible.”