Abstract
Goal: The main purpose of this research is to present the benefits reached with the use of airpower resources during humanitarian operations, in order to verify how the main airpower’s characteristics influenced the response stage of a natural disaster in Brazil.
 Design / Methodology / Approach: A qualitative case study was conducted to evaluate benefits reached with the use of airpower during humanitarian operations. Primary and secondary data were gathered from operational reports provided by the Brazilian Air Force, from media coverage about the flood and waterlogging events happened in November 2008, in Itajai Valley, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Interviews with three informants involved in crisis response were also conducted. Data analysis processes were conducted to search codes about airpower engagement during humanitarian operations. Data coding followed an inductive approach and the codes emerged from data.
 Results: The research concludes that the use of airpower can leverage crisis response capabilities during humanitarian operations, as airpower’s characteristics of speed, mobility, flexibility, penetration, range, and readiness meet the needs of humanitarian operations to respond to a natural disaster. The case study demonstrates an increase of operational capabilities after airpower engagement.
 Limitations of the investigation: Only one crisis situation was studied, because the access to operational data provided by the Brazilian Air Force is restricted. Besides, it was not possible to analyze values and budgetary costs derived from airpower engagement.
 Practical implications: The results of this research demonstrate that it is highly important to involve airpower during humanitarian operations, as it can leverage crisis response capabilities. In this way, humanitarian organizations can stablish new forms of relationship to national and local governments in order to quickly engage airpower resources on the response phase of natural disasters.
 Originality/Value: This research presents an original contribution to the field of humanitarian operations as it presents real data in terms of the engagement of airpower resources during humanitarian operations.
Highlights
Crises come in many shapes and forms
This paper, aims to present the benefits reached with the use of airpower resources during humanitarian operations, in order to verify, on a real case scenario, how airpower characteristics influenced the response stage of crisis management during a natural disaster in Brazil
Through the researcher immersion in the data and the necessary iteration between interview sessions, the fact finding in secondary sources, and data analysis, a set of models was used to describe the benefits regarding the use of airpower on humanitarian operations
Summary
Crises come in many shapes and forms They are low-probability and high-impact events that threaten the viability of societies and organizations and are characterized by ambiguity of cause, effect and means of resolution (Pearson and Clair, 1998). Disasters can be defined as the result of adverse events on a vulnerable scenario, causing serious disturbance on the normal equilibrium of a location, which can cause severe loss and human, material or environmental damage that can surpass local capabilities to stop or mitigate its effects. Man-made accidents, economic problems or natural events shatter the ordinary order of societies. All of these events could be defined as crises, including situations characterized as disasters. All of these events could be defined as crises, including situations characterized as disasters. Fink (1986) affirms that a crisis is an unstable time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending, either one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome, or one that can finish with an extremely positive result
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
