By Aleta*

The Orbis "Flying Eye Hospital" is here at Oshkosh. You can find the DC-10 next to The Beluga, you know, that huge plane that looks like it has a gland problem. Orbis is dedicated to preserving and restoring sight in the developing world. Since 1982, Orbis has completed more than 500 programs in 81 countries.

The tour of the DC-10 takes visitors through the "hospital" and describes the use of each of the rooms. An interesting note, the cockpit is original from 1972, with a few upgrades including dual GPS and TCAS, to the tune of $300K. According to Vic Sotenberg, Flight Operations Manager for Orbis, the instruments were generously donated by Honeywell, with thanks to Lonnie Hulme "for getting it done for Orbis." The history of Orbis can be found on www.Orbis.org, as well as in two articles posted on Aero-News Network.

We know that Orbis flies to developing countries to train ophthalmologists, nurses and other healthcare workers, who then provide training and treatment to others in their country. To get to these countries, the real preflight starts months before the DC-10 even breaks ground. Vic tells the story. A destination is generally chosen one of two ways, "Orbis, working with the world health organization determine a high need for a certain type of eye care in a given country." An invitation can also come direct from the country.

"Orbis works with the Ministry of Health of the country as well as the ophthalmic Society of the Country." Once the decision to work together is made, Orbis sends an assessment team. The team includes someone from Flight Operations. "Information on the airport is then gathered from Jeppesen (who kindly donates charts as needed) or from the host country's Aeronautical Information Publications. Runway lengths, widths, runway strengths, taxiways, parking, weather facilities, terminal facilities and ground support. "

"First step is to figure out on paper if the airport has what is needed to support the aircraft." The next step is to visit the country and airport in person, to determine the accuracy of the records. This trip could be 6 - 12 months in advance. The assessment team works closely with the Airport Director and Civil Aviation Administration of the country to inspect the airport. A visit will typically last two to three days to a week, depending on the bureaucracy of the country. The first day normally consists of introductions to the airport authorities and security as well as a look around the airport. Possibly working with an airport engineer on runway strength. Future construction plans are checked to determine whether any changes are due at the time of the Orbis arrival. Once the safety issues are satisfied, then the real "schmoozing" begins. The assessment team must now work magic in requesting waivers on landing and handling fees as well as turning a deal for the fuel. Sometimes laws stand in the way of even a top "schmoozer."

As Vic tells it, "In some countries, by national legislation the fees cannot be waived. In one of the former Soviet Republics, a piece of legislation had to be passed at the national level in order to waive the fees for Orbis." Orbis does work with the countries on what their system dictates and when all else fails, the fees are paid. After this primary visit validates the airport, the physicians are up next, paying several visits. They speak to customs regarding equipment values (Zeiss has donated and given generous discounts on much of the precision optical equipment contained in the "flying hospital"). They also check out facilities for the team. The doctors use their negotiation skills with the hotels in order to secure discounted rooms. "On a China trip," (where Orbis has a permanent office) one city provided 35 hotel rooms for 30 days for the team, including laundry and phone." A location for the Wet Lab is also secured. Wet labs are used in medical schools, it's a non-sterile environment, using animal eyes for demonstration. The wet lab needs water, electricity and quiet.

Once the actual flight day is at hand, the arrival at the airport will be important enough to warrant an arrival ceremony. Vic reveals a particularly memorable ceremony, "In Ciego de Avila, Cuba, a small, rural farming town, they had very little, but they had a lot of love. TV cameras, newspapers and the Governor of the province were there. A row of men and women had gifts for the Orbis team. There was a trio of cigars for the men and a bouquet of roses for the women plus straw hats, indigenous to the region for each team member. Proceeding into customs there was a party with drinks and little snacks." Knowing how little these people had and that food was severely rationed made what the town's people did even more meaningful. After the ceremony, it's down to work, time to don the coveralls and unload and set up the aircraft. According to Darcie Goodwin of Orbis Public Relations "when everything goes smoothly, the unpacking and repacking (for departure) takes 3 hours each.

After a day off, for the team, the patient screening begins at local hospitals. The search is for the most suitable patients for the type of surgery being demonstrated, meaning finding the best teaching cases and ensuring the overall health of the person. If a secondary medical condition precludes treatment by the Orbis surgeons, all is not lost, since the local doctors will be learning the procedure and down the road the treatment can be performed on the patient when the secondary condition is gone. Once the teaching period is over, the Orbis team leaves a set of videos of the procedures done during that time period, as well as tapes of the most common prior surgeries taught by the Orbis doctors. The most important thing the Orbis doctors leave behind is ability, one of the Orbis pamphlets has the phrase "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

FMI: www.Orbis.org