Decade of Flight: How FedEx Keeps the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital Soaring

For more than 40 years, FedEx has teamed up with Orbis to bring sight-saving training and care to underserved communities worldwide. As the third-generation MD-10 Flying Eye Hospital marks its 10th anniversary in the skies, we look at how FedEx aviation expertise, logistics, and team members keep the mission flying.

When a FedEx aircraft takes to the skies, it carries more than packages—it carries possibility. Ten years ago, in the summer of 2016, one very special aircraft donated by FedEx took flight with an extraordinary new mission: to change the way the world sees.

Known as the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, this third-generation MD-10 aircraft is a state-of-the-art teaching and ophthalmic surgical facility on wings. Over the past decade, the MD-10 has reached more than 16 countries, helped train over 5,000 eye care professionals, and supported more than 1,600 sight-saving procedures around the globe.

Yet the true impact of the Flying Eye Hospital extends far beyond the runway. By training local doctors, nurses, and biomedical engineers, Orbis acts as a force multiplier—building stronger, self-sustaining eye care systems that continue treating thousands of patients long after the plane departs.

A 40-Year Collaboration Built on Aviation and Heart

While the MD-10 celebrates a decade in flight, FedEx and Orbis have soared together for more than 40 years. As the leading aviation sponsor of the Flying Eye Hospital, FedEx supports every facet of the aircraft's journey through our Delivering for Good initiative under FedEx Cares.

In a new video reflection, Justin Brownlee, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations and Airline Planning at FedEx, shares how the unique bond between FedEx and Orbis brings hope and lasting medical capacity to communities worldwide.

How FedEx Helps the Flying Eye Hospital Take Flight

Keeping a flying teaching hospital safe, stocked, and mission-ready across continents is no small feat. Here is how FedEx and our team members power the Orbis mission on the ground and in the air:

  • Donating & Maintaining the Aircraft: FedEx donated the MD-10 aircraft that became the third generation Flying Eye Hospital and continues to fund and support routine maintenance, major inspections, critical repairs, and aircraft parts to keep it airworthy year after year.
  • Volunteer FedEx Pilots at the Controls: Every single pilot who flies the MD-10 Flying Eye Hospital is a current or retired FedEx pilot who volunteers their time and precision expertise to deliver eye care around the world.
  • World-Class Flight Crew Training in Memphis: Each year, Orbis volunteer pilots travel to FedEx World Headquarters in Memphis for simulator sessions, emergency procedures training, and proficiency checks at FedEx training facilities to uphold the highest standards of aviation safety.
  • Global In-Kind Shipping & Supply Chain Support: From delicate surgical equipment to engine parts and educational materials, FedEx provides critical in-kind shipping across our global network, offsetting operational costs so Orbis can direct maximum resources toward patient care and medical training.
  • Sponsoring Sight-Saving Projects: Since the MD-10's inaugural flight in 2016, FedEx has sponsored 10 Flying Eye Hospital projects, delivering free, high-quality ophthalmic training to local healthcare partners in underserved regions.
  • Behind-the-Scenes Ground Support & Team Member Volunteers: Wherever the plane lands, FedEx ground crews step up. Our team in Clark, Philippines, plays a vital role between missions with customs clearance, equipment handling, and maintenance assistance, while local FedEx volunteers regularly help convert the aircraft from cargo mode into a working hospital—most recently during a mission in Arequipa, Peru.

Award-Winning Impact

Together, FedEx and Orbis aren't just keeping a plane in the air—we're shining a global spotlight on avoidable blindness. The strength of this four-decade collaboration was recently honored when FedEx and Orbis received the "Best of the Best" Halo Award in 2026, one of the highest accolades for corporate social impact programs.

As we look ahead to the next decade of flight, FedEx remains proud to stand alongside Orbis—using our global network, aviation leadership, and the passion of our team members to help communities around the world see a brighter future.