Introduction
The past year has been transformative for Universal Air Charter and Management Ltd. It began in November 2021 with the acquisition a Maltese based company led by Dr Andrew Walker, catapulting the company into a wider global network with an expanded client base. The new group, who also own AMI Expeditionary Healthcare LLC (AMI), a US-based international healthcare services provider, made this strategic move to access a global AOC to compete for worldwide aviation contracts and support AMI’s healthcare clinics across Africa and the Middle East.
AMI delivers a unique combination of extremely flexible teams of health practitioners combined with fixed and mobile medical facilities and highly refined medical processes and procedures. This combination allows us to provide an expanding number of bespoke health services around the world. Clients include the United Nations, US federal and state governments, World Health Organization, government agencies, oil and gas companies, and non-governmental organisations. AMI’s global footprint is extensive, with healthcare clinics across Africa and projects around the world.
New Management
A management team was chosen to lead Universal Air into a new future. The team is led by Chief Executive Officer, Steve Tucker, and Accountable Manager and Managing Director, Simon Cook, both with the vision, energy, and strategic leadership necessary to move Universal Air toward our goals for the future. Steve has a long history with AMI having managed its aviation activities in Africa, and Simon has a vast experience in aviation around the world as both an aviator and management. Their strong aviation backgrounds and significant corporate experience allow the company to build on its foundations to expand into new areas.
Dr Andrew Walker, Universal Air’s chairman, is an international entrepreneur who has decades of business experience turning companies into profitable businesses. He has graduate and postgraduate qualifications in Medicine and Medical Science (Hons) from Newcastle University, with scholarships to both Oxford and Harvard. Among his many distinctions, Dr Walker was Ernst & Young’s “Australian Entrepreneur of the Year,” and has been twice inducted into the EY Entrepreneur Global Hall of Fame. He was awarded the 1986 AMA prize, and in 2015 he was appointed a Conjoint Professor of Practice at Newcastle University’s School of Medicine, where he was also awarded the National Leadership Award. He was admitted as a Fellow of the International College of Surgeons and has earned an MBA from Melbourne Business School.
CEO Quote
“We will continue to build and shape our future. Our team grows stronger each day, and we have seen people step up and take this challenge head on, developing into Universal Air’s future leaders. As a modern company, we have the drive to modernise aviation by dealing with the things that matter today such as sustainability and carbon offsetting that are close to the hearts of the next generation of aviators. To quote Howard Schultz’s, CEO of Starbucks: ‘The most powerful and enduring brands are built from the heart.’”
Services
Universal Air offers aviation services that are tailored for a diverse range of clients. Our company strategy focuses on expanding services into three operational areas: Aircraft Management, Humanitarian, and Security and Defence. Within these operational areas, we provide cargo and logistics, aeromedical evacuations (AMEs), and air passenger transport, including VIP charters. Universal Air is an approved air operator with the United Nations, and we are building on our current contracts to continue to support government agencies, international organisations, and corporate clients.
We assist private and commercial aircraft owners to unlock the advantages of aircraft registration in Malta. Our team are ready to support with aircraft acquisition, repair and maintenance, crew training, and management of aircraft of all sizes from turboprops to jets. In addition to aircraft registration in Malta, Universal Air also maintain a 2-REG aircraft registration service for private air operators in Guernsey.
Universal Air offers personalised air cargo solutions for all of our clients, including for dangerous goods. Our dedicated project manager has extensive loadmaster experience and will act as the single point of contact to guide clients through every step to ensure safe and timely delivery of cargo.
Universal Air’s aeromedical evacuation capability extends from advanced to basic life support, including mass casualty response and infectious disease transportation. Our in-house medical crew manage the entire patient care journey from the originating hospital to the destination hospital. We offer customised, affordable AME packages for international organizations, companies, and individuals requiring standby services.
Future
Universal Air has been actively seeking both local and international partners to expand our footprint and increase and improve the services that we offer to our clients. Working with partners who share our commitment to excellent customer service, we look forward to offering our clients above and beyond simple aviation solutions. Recent initiatives include establishing a Part-145, developing a crisis response capability, and implementing a robust carbon offsetting program. With Dr Walker’s recent successful investment in aerospace, the sky is the limit!
Building on a strong foundation, Universal Air is poised to differentiate ourselves as the company to turn to for the full range of aviation solutions to create an enduring aviation company in Malta. We focus on our people so that Universal Air might be an even better version of itself. As the family grows, we are excited about the future to expand our operations and our fleet here in Malta.
