Business Aviation in Action
Following the devastating earthquake that struck the island nation of Haiti on January 12, NBAA Members immediately began contacting one another and their Association wanting to know how they could help.
A tally of all the offers to donate time, aircraft, and expertise is difficult to gauge, but within two days after the earthquake, an online support registry developed by NBAA included offers of flight support and other assistance from hundreds of individuals and companies.
Furthermore, estimates are that nearly 100 general aviation aircraft on humanitarian missions flew from the U.S. to the Haitian capital Port-Au-Prince in just the first five days after a local airport re-opened to humanitarian flights. During the two-day weekend after the airport re-opened, the U.S. military and the Federal Aviation Administration reported that 330 requests to land had been approved, with nearly half coming from civilian aircraft.
NBAA has chronicled the stories telling how the companies, business aviation pilots, non-governmental relief organizations and others banded together in the earthquake’s aftermath to help those in crisis.
Congress Recognizes Business Aviation’s Haiti-Relief Efforts
May 12, 2010
The U.S. House and Senate recently passed resolutions recognizing the general aviation industry for coordinating relief missions to help victims of the January 12 earthquake that ravaged the island nation of Haiti. The measures specifically mention how business aircraft were vital to the response effort, transporting cargo, supplies and medical specialists to affected areas, and delivering victims to hospitals for treatment. The value of business aviation in providing relief to people and communities in crisis is a central theme of the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign, and NBAA continually works to highlight the industry’s work in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.