Much of the general aviation community has jumped in to offer assistance to victims of Hurricane Helene. Among the organized efforts, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has activated its Humanitarian Emergency Response Operator (HERO) database to reach out to business aviation operators. The HERO program enables NBAA member aircraft operators to supply information on aircraft availability, personnel, and other assets that could be of use in an emergency such as the devastating damage caused by this storm.
I was KJNX yesterday for a different reason. But walked up on helicopters, including the airport boards chairman, loading anything that could go, and taking off headed West. While they were hovering out, other GA planes were pulling up and getting loaded. It was all ad hoc, just normal people doing what they could to help. It was impressive.
I’m in Statesville NC. Will be continuing flying missions into small mountain airports in my Shrike today. GA is keeping a lifeline to these folks in need.
I’ve seen a couple of posts on social media that FEMA has showed up and is confiscating supplies donated to reallocate or warehouse, whatever they decide. Might want to make sure whoever you are delivering to is present and waiting rather than just dropping off misc stuff, or it might not get to where you expect it to go.
As an aviation website, it would be worthwhile reporting on GA participation in the Hurricane Helene relief efforts. There is an informal group called CAN, Carolina Aviators Network with a facebook page that is coordinating donations and airdrops. Many of the hardest hit communities in the Western NC mountains were only accessible by aircraft. These pilots stepped in and started flying supplies as soon as the runways were accessible. Some runways where muddy and only suitable to big tires. The people in NC and SC are donating tons of supplies to various airports. It’s an amazing effort. There is no central planning, just people self coordinating and doing the work.
Considering doing some flights myself, on Monday I plotted the aircraft in the area with ADSBexchange. To my surprise there were two government aircraft and 100 or so private aircraft. We have heard the Air National Guard Blackhawks are unavailable due to not been maintained, left in Afghanistan or recently sent to the Middle East. We have also heard FEMA has spent their budget on immigration projects and lacks funds.
I’m seeing reports of aviators being threatened with arrest for providing hurricane relief flights. Would be interesting if AvWeb could dig into that to either confirm or to prove those reports false.
I saw similar reports. I know that efforts have to be coordinated, and that is a big part of what FEMA does. I’ve worked several disaster sites in a previous life and yes, if you are just Joe Somebody, they will turn you away and direct you to one of the registered relief agencies who are vetted and organized. Someone like Operation Airdrop. If you then work through one of these agencies you’ll get through. The idea is unified command, one overriding agency, and coordinated effort. Its absolutely frustrating to the individual, but if you think about it in GA terms. Do you want one ATC operation covering all operations, and clearance in and out, or do you want anyone and everyone operating in a congested airspace? If I’m flying in, I want someone deconflicting and keeping me safe. No sense adding to the tragedy with a midair. Again its super frustrating when you are trying to help, but its how FEMA handles it to the best of my knowledge.
IMHO we need to make sure this effort is well documented - video, audio, written to showcase how GA can be such a huge community asset. I’m back in Colorado, so we don’t normally get hurricanes (wildfires, snowstorms are about our two main natural disasters). I plan on working on using this as a point of reference for the local airports that are under fire from communities that only see airports as playgrounds for the rich.
My best friend is an award-winning documentarian. She has a house 'way up in the hills, fifty miles north of Asheville. The only road leading to her place literally fell off the mountain. Fortunately, she was out-of-town. At the end of her road, there is a small (3 homes) residential airpark with a grass strip on top of the mountain. I’ve got decades of short/soft/grass field experience and would have no problem going in & getting out of there, but it’s private property and I have been unable to find the owner; there is still no power or cell service there.
Worse case, I’ll claim exigent circumstances, but I’d rather not. The coordinates of the strip are 35.85331061619735, -82.11058763178563.
Google maps indicates a grass strip labeled Little Switzerland. However, that’s not listed in AirNav nor shown on the North Carolina sectional from the NCDOT. The Big Barn Gallery is close by, I’d bet the owners know who owns the airstrip. Owners are Steve and Dawn Strickland. The question is can you get hold of anyone in that area? Unfortunately, the only numbers is see are the Visitor Information Center in Old Fort, 888-233-6111, the McDowell Arts Council Association, 828-652-8610, or the Artisan League of Little Switzerland, 828-467-8107. Good luck!
I’ll try to contact the Stricklands, although everyone else I’ve tried to call in that area is “not available”, or just rings futilely. How did you get Google Maps to tell you the name of the strip? All I get is “Mitchell County” when I click on it.
I think it’s more of a location than the name of the strip, unfortunately. I just put your lat/long in and the box next to the picture said Little Switzerland. The rest was just searching the appropriate web sites. Frustrating it’s not on the NCDOT sectional page, but I bet they would have a number for the owners regardless. It’s up to the owners whether their field is charted or not in Indiana, not sure about North Carolina rules.