C.A.R.E (Corporate Aviation Responding in Emergencies) has done so much to assist with the Haiti relief, providing over 1,000,000 lbs of supplies and around the clock flight coordination, and although they have many success stories that will draw on your heart strings, this is just one of those stories.

While on a relief mission to Haiti, C.A.R.E’s first canine passenger, a rescue dog named Tejyl became a hero. Joe (Tejyl’s handler) and Tejyl went down to assist with the devastation of the earthquake and lent a paw in finding people trapped in the Hotel Montana. Amidst the rubble and debris Tejyl befriended a 15 year old girl named Ruthnie, but unlike most young girls, Ruthnie is a double amputee. Although Joe and Tejyl could not help her on their first mission, they did not forget Ruthnie, and with the assistance of C.A.R.E they worked endlessly to find a way to get her out of Haiti and to get her medical help.

 Removing Ruthnie from Haiti was not an easy mission, but Joe, Tejyl and C.A.R.E did not let anything deter them.  After tireless coordination between two governments, four hospitals, two fire departments and a lot of NGOs on March 3^rd their mission was accomplished.

Joe and Tejyl, with the assistance of C.A.R.E went back to Haiti to fly Ruthnie away from the destruction and to Bellevue Hospital in New York where a surgeon had volunteered to provide the medical care Ruthnie so badly needed. Tejyl remained dutifully by Ruthnie’s side. It was as if Tejyl knew through canine senses that Ruthnie was much worse off then everyone originally believed and knew she would need a friend. From the earthquake in Haiti to landing in New York, Ruthnie endured more than most of us could every dream…and though it all she had hope. 

 Banyan was proud to be one of the stops that Ruthnie made on her journey to New York. We are all keeping her in our thoughts and prayers

Jim Parker is a friend of Banyan and frequently flys out of Banyan.

Dear Fellow Pilots,

Two of the more active “hubs” for organizing Haitian relief flights by private aviation volunteers are shutting down:  Bahamas Habitat has ended it’s operation in Nassau and Go-Ministries in Santiago, Dominican Republic is shutting down it distribution/coordination center.  I will continue to take  emails from any of you flying missions for other organization.  Always glad to help with advice or support here on the ground in Santo Domingo.

Commercial flights are now available to Port of Prince from Miami.  Beginning March 12, commercial flights will be available from Santiago and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to Port of Prince.  There are also commercial flights from Ft Lauderdale to Cape Haitian.  In addition, rhe UN has begun regular passenger service from Port of Prince to Jacmel, Las Cayes and Jeremie from using helicopters and a Cessna Caravan.

Occasional needs will arise to shuttle doctors and medicines from the Dominican Republic to/from outlying Haitian airports but these will be sporadic.  I’ll do what I can to help with my C172RG here in Santo Domingo.

Many of you have flown volunteer missions in support of Haitian relief, donating your time, aircraft and money.  You efforts have made a difference, giving hope and assistance to thousands in desperate need of food, tents and medical care.

Well done and Best Regards,  Jim Parker

to contact Jim email you can email him at jim@caribbeanflyingadventures.com

A nice compliment from FltPlan.com-

“Thanks to Banyan Air Services for Relief Efforts in Haiti

We at FltPlan.com wanted to give special recognition to the efforts of Banyan Air Services at FXE. They have been the heart of the Haiti relief efforts by the general aviation community. It has been a true pleasure to work with them to offer assistance to this important initiative. We would especially like to thank Michael O’Keeffe whose personal involvement with our team and the FAA has been paramount to this mission. We are appreciative that Mike considered FltPlan.com one of the best ways to reach pilots with pertinent information.”

To learn about how you can participate in the Haiti relief visit the Banyan Haiti Relief Page or contact Robin@Jet-Quest.com or Sueanne@banyanair.com of Corporate Aviation Responding in Emergencies (C.A.R.E.)

Flying in the sky is one thing, but for 14 student pilots from both Ireland and Kazakhstan participating in an international weekend flight to the Bahamas will be a new experience for many of them.

Thanks to the assistance of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism on Friday March 5^th a large group of 13 aircraft and 31 people made up of students and instructors flew, out of Banyan on their way to Nassau in The Bahamas.

Barry Gargan, one of the students participating in the flight said, “This is my first time to fly on an international trip. I’ll be piloting the aircraft with my instructor, Carlton McLean and I’m looking forward to it.”

Once in Nassau, the students have the option of either relaxing on the beaches and exploring the island or participating in an Island Fly-Out to Staniel Cay where they will be able to partake in a sightseeing boat tour around the island.

To ensure the safety during this international flight all the students were required to meet all the prerequisites and participate in an in-depth briefing about the trip as well as garner as much additional information about such things as weather conditions and destination as they could.

Flight Instructor, Carlton McLean, has flown to The Bahamas several times, but even for him, traveling with such a large group is a new experience.

“Previously I’ve flown to The Bahamas with 2 – 4 aircraft and today it’s 13 aircraft. The logistics of getting everyone and everything ready has been our goal. We want everything to go smoothly, the documentation, eAPIS, etc and I feel confident we have everything 100% ready,” said Carlton McLean.

Banyan was proud to be the kickoff point for this Fly-Out and hope that every student gets the experience of a lifetime.

This is a brief thank you video created by Betty Ballew for all the “Unsung Heroes” who are making a difference in helping with the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

On February 20^th Banyan transformed one of its hangars into the look and feel of the Bahamas for the first Annual Bahamas Day. Bahamas Day is an event to education people on flying to the Bahamas in their own planes or to gather information about charter flights.

Over 30 exhibitors participated and were on-sight to provide attendees with an array of information and activities about resorts, hotels and activities. Everything from the hand-rolling of cigars to samples of Bahamian rum cake was available. Even a Bahamian policeman was at the event to answer questions and partake in photos.

The day started with a breathtaking opening ceremony of both the United States National Anthem and the Bahamian National Anthem being played. The aroma of traditional Bahamian fried fish, chicken, and conch fritters filled the air. The day never slowed down and in the afternoon The Bahamas Junkanoo Shakers danced and played in a colorful, rhythmic display.

Banyan turned over the use of one of their conference rooms so that seminars on eAPIS, Flying to the Bahamas, and Preparing your Aircraft for Over Water Flight could be presented throughout the day to interested parties. A live demonstration on how to inflate a survival raft when in the water provided an interactive exhibit.

Throughout the day door prizes that had been donated by the exhibitors were given out. The door prizes ranged from goodie bags to resort get-a-ways.

There was something for everyone, and Banyan was pleased to be the first FBO to host the Annual Bahamas Day.

To see pictures of the event or a video of the Junkanoo band, visit www.banyanair.com/bahamasday.

1. The great fleet of general aviation aircraft is the mainspring of a $20 billion a year industry which generates more than $102 billion in economic activity. (AOPA)
2. Thousands of communities benefit as their airports create a positive ripple effect in the local economy. Manufacturers in the know set up shop within 10 miles of public-use airports, which allow them to send time-critical parts and material to customers. Businesses reap competitive advantages through access to nearby airports, while residents gain jobs. (www.gaservasmerica.com)
3. General aviation offers the most efficient and cost-effective way to conduct wildlife surveys, map wetland losses and soil erosion, follow bird migrations, patrol parklands and detect pipeline spills. (AOPA)
4. GA supports almost 1.3 million high-skill, high-wage jobs in professional services and in manufacturing.

The perfect way to spend a chilly afternoon in Florida is with the 2010 1^st Annual Maintenance Team Chili-Soup Cook-off competition that was coordinated by Dave Valenta and his team of committee members. Dave and his dedicated team spent a lot of time developing a very organized and regulated competition. They provided each of the 22 contestants with a list of official rules to be followed and information on how their chili was going to be judged. The competitors had to purchase all their ingredients from a store (i.e. No Roadkill), prepare enough to be judged (min of 2 quarts), bring the chili pre-cooked, and provide their own serving utensils. The judging started promptly at 11 am and it took the 5 judges (Mike O’Keeffe, Jim Barcel, Priscilla Strickland, Kathy Knowles and Lynn Juengel) over an hour to pick a winner. The chili was provided to the judges anonymously, and identified only by a number. Not only did the competitors have to follow rules and regulations, Dave and his team even developed official guidelines for the judges, such as, once the judges had finished tasting a chili they were not allowed to re-taste it. Judges were required to use new spoons on each chili and were forbidden to talk to each other until the judging was complete. Each judge was provided a rating form on which they rated all 22 chili’s on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the best) in 4 main categories; color, consistency, aroma, and spice and flavor.

After the judging was completed (but, wisely before the winner was announced), the rest of the team members were invited in for a chili lunch on a chilly day. The team went all out and a number of people volunteered to bring in chips, pasta, cornbread, hot dogs and a variety of desserts, making it more like a full-blown buffet. Everyone was given a half hour to eat and try all the different chili’s before the winner was announced, and each contestant was quick to point out their chili, and to recommend theirs.

Although the competition was close, three contestants rose above the rest. 3^rd place went to Dan Day, 2^nd place went to Russell Otowchits, and the 1^st place winner was Paul Baran. Each winner received a framed chili-winner award and a chili-winner ribbon. First place winner Paul got the inspiration for creating his winning chili from his son, who cooks his chili by adding things bit by bit and letting each item cook for a while instead of throwing everything into the pot at once and walking away. Paul used his son’s method and took away the blue. Dave and his team put a great deal of time into providing a wonderful cook-off experience, and hope to continue this competition and turn it into a tradition.

Banyan is proud to be working together with numerous other organizations to help provide relief for Haiti.  Robin Eissler of Corporate Aircraft for Relief Efforts (CARE) is coordinating more than 400 aircraft volunteering lift free of charge.  Windsor Jet is coordinating and warehousing pallets of supplies for flights to Haiti and Banyan provides 24 hour fuel, ground support, crew and passenger coordination. 

US Customs at FXE has extended hours for flights to clear customs from Haiti.  The FXE Airport Operations and Control Tower staff have been very accommodating with complicated flight plans to the small airports in Haiti. 

Hundreds of corporations have donated aircraft, personnel and supplies.  Volunteers assist in repackaging, preparing and loading supplies.  The Red Cross is helping orphans unite with their adopted families.  And there are many many more organizations involved with the efforts at FXE.  Thank you to everyone for everything you are doing to assist.  Your help is so very appreciated.

Aircraft leaving Banyan for Haiti need donations of medical supplies, rice, beans, other food, water, sheets, towels, tents, tarps, flashlights. If you would like to help, bring your donations to Banyan by Tuesday, 1/19/10.