If you’ve gotten used to the convenience of corporate or business aviation, you understand how powerful it is to be able to go pretty much anywhere, with pretty much anything you need.
It’s an incredible tool to accomplish the impossible.
The disaster in Haiti is a great example of a time when the impossible needs to be accomplished. And private pilots are stepping up to the challenge.
General aviation pilots are still asked to not fly into Port-au-Prince to avoid interfering with relief efforts there, but some outlying airports in Haiti are open and pilots are delivering supplies to them from the Bahamas and Dominican Republic.
“As always, the GA community is demonstrating its tremendous compassion for those in need and taking immediate action to help,” said AOPA President Craig Fuller. “General aviation has the unique flexibility to use reliever airports to enhance the relief efforts taking place in Port-au-Prince. Working through a variety of humanitarian groups here in the United States and in Haiti, pilots are making a real difference.”
Bahamas Habitat began flying to airports around Port-au-Prince, including Cap Haitien and Les Cayes, from Inagua in the Southern Bahamas using Cessna 182s, Bonanzas, Barons, Aztecs, a Cessna 340, and a Caravan.
“Sunday was our third day of airlift operations into the outlying airports around Port-Au-Prince and we delivered a lot of medical supplies and evacuated 27 more people today,” Bahamas Habitat President John Armstrong announced in a press release Jan. 18.
The organization is seeking volunteers to help with the efforts, according to Armstrong. Pilots can sign up by visiting the Web site or sending an e-mail.
Business and corporate aviation has taken a big hit from the economy in recent years, but we’re glad that there are airplanes and pilots in the market to respond to this challenge! And we know that aviators are great people who won’t let the call go unanswered.
Corporate and business aviation is not affordable to everyone. But we can help make it more affordable for your company by containing your maintenance costs. Give us a call with your current maintenance plan or estimate.
We’ll be happy to look it over and give you a second opinion for free, with no obligation. We don’t charge you anything unless we save you money.
