General aviation stepped up after Sandy
December 20, 2012, 03:20 pm
Not only does general aviation support the economy and job creation, but it provides emergency support in times of need. Hurricane Sandy left 100,000 people displaced and damaged thousands of homes across the East Coast.
When Hurricane Sandy hit, the general aviation community immediately stepped up to see how it could help. Even the smallest general aviation airport can be turned into a critical supply line to transport emergency supplies, especially when roads and other routes are blocked off.
New Hampshire used an organization, AERObridge, to organize and coordinate how aviation in the state could help those affected by Sandy. Pilots all around New Hampshire were waiting and ready when AERObridge asked for planes to fly to the hardest-hit areas of New York and New Jersey.
Initially after Sandy made landfall, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association had to ask the general aviation community to hold off on helping with relief efforts because many individuals were looking to help and the airspace needed to remain clear for rescue teams. Once the Federal Aviation Administration gave the go ahead, planes were urgently rushed to shelters carrying food, water, clothing, diapers and other supplies.
“Most people don’t realize that the relief efforts for disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy, often begin at our local airports,” Diane Cooper, airport manager of Laconia Municipal Airport located in Gilford, New Hampshire. “Small airports can immediately turn into donation centers where the public can drop off much-needed disaster supplies. These supplies can then be sent immediately to where they are needed, mostly by mercy flights that are donated by general aviation pilots with their aircraft."
Craig Spence, secretary general of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations, presented earlier this year at the China Low Altitude Economy Summit, highlighting general aviation's critical role in the United States.
Spence said there are 5,261 public-use airports in the U.S., 10 times the number of commercial airports. In addition, there are 19,000 landing strips and throughout the nation there is one airport for every 7,000 people and one plane for every 1,100 people. Spence added that general aviation's infrastructure accounts for $150 billion in annual contributions to the economy and provides millions of jobs.
He continued by saying that the commercial aviation system is like main highways, while the general aviation paves the back roads. This is critical when it comes to responding to disasters.
While the general aviation community looks to help others in time of need, pilots can help themselves by obtaining pilot life insurance.
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