Sept. 11, 2019
Like dozens of FBOs, airport authorities, charter companies, flight departments and individual pilots and aircraft owners all across Florida, Gold Aviation Services has stepped up in the wake of Hurricane Dorian and is making a significant impact with relief efforts in the Bahamas.
Gold Aviation Services, a private aircraft charter company based at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), has been coordinating with the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority and flying supplies into the Bahamas since last weekend. With two Kodiak aircraft (one on floats) and a Pilatus PC-12 available, Gold pilots have already made a number of flights to Nassau, and the Kodiak with floats has been able to get to Fox Town at Green Turtle Cay.
The company, which normally flies several Embraer Phenom 300s, hopes to be flying the jets shortly into Nassau.
“Since so many people have evacuated the worst-hit islands, supplies are needed in places like Nassau because that’s where the evacuees are,” said William Wing, director of charter sales and marketing, Gold Aviation Services. “We have many thousands of pounds of supplies ready to go in addition to what we’ve already brought down. Our staff and many donors have been incredible.”
Recently, a 53-foot semi-trailer pulled up to the Gold hangar at FLL with more than 42,000 pounds of disaster relief supplies. Volunteers and staff have been sorting through the supplies and getting them organized.
For people wanting to make donations, Wing noted that “at this point, they really need building supplies like chain saws, generators, tarps, and trash bags.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.