250 Relief Missions Completed, 100 Tons Of Supplies Delivered

Bahamas Habitat announced Thursday its aviation relief operation has passed a significant milestone by completing its 250th relief mission to Haiti. To date, volunteer pilots and aircraft have delivered over 200,000 pounds of medical supplies and food as well as over 70 medical personnel along with their equipment to Haiti's outlying airports using general aviation aircraft. Operations are continuing and more volunteer pilots are needed.

"We had planes in action within 48 hours of the event and have been flying not stop since and have clearly grown to be the largest operation focused on supplying the airports outside of Port-au-Prince." John Armstrong, President of Bahamas Habitat said. "Many of our first responders are returning for multiple missions and we still need more volunteers so we just launched our Pilots Pay It Forward system to help our mission pilots cover their fuel for these flights. Though we've now had over 250 flights and over 400 volunteers we still need more" added Armstrong.

Bahamas Habitat Delivers Relief Supplies

"The message we are sending out to all pilots is that we still need their help and through our Pilots Pay It Forward system we've made it easier for them to participate and fund their flight missions" explained Armstrong. "Though pilots aren't seeing the distressing scenes on the nightly news like they were, the need for what we are doing has not diminished."

"While, other relief efforts are focusing their efforts on supplying Port-au-Prince and supplies are on the ground there, we have focused on sending our aircraft to Port-du-Paix, Pignon, La Gonave, Les Cayes, Jacmel, Cap Haitien and other outlying towns and islands," stated Abraham McIntyre, the Executive Director of Bahamas Methodist Habitat and chief coordinator of the organization's operations from "Command Central" in Nassau. "People are still moving out to these areas seeking help and the clinics and hospitals are overrun there without enough medical supplies. In many cases we are their primary lifeline."

The organization has had over 150 general aviation airplanes of all types involved. Mission pilots have come from all over the US and Canada with it not being uncommon for them to come from as far away as California, Vancouver BC, Boston, Ontario and every region in between.

In addition to supply depots in various points in the US, the organization has its main Command Center at the Odyssey FBO at the Nassau Bahamas airport which provides pilot briefings and coordinates all mission flights each day.  Nassau is the ideal location because it is situated on the direct path from the US to Haiti and has the facilities needed for communications, lodging, warehousing and provides full service aircraft operations support. The fact that Bahamas Habitat was on the ground with facilities and staff operational in the Bahamas directly after the quake is likely why they quickly became the largest coordinator of GA relief flights. 

Bahamas Habitat Delivers Relief Supplies

"We are particularly pleased that all of our mission pilots have come back with glowing positive comments about their experiences as well as tremendous compliments on our support staff and co-pilots we provide. Our team at the Command Center works very hard to make sure every pilot has a safe mission, the supplies get to where they need to go and the pilot has a good experience," added Armstrong.

FMI: www.bahamashabitat.org