by Chloé Foster

By day three, everyone was starting to feel the lack of sleep and constant running.  Everyone met for breakfast at 7:30, and during breakfast Greg Rolle provided another pilot de-briefing to prepare us for the flight to Exuma.  He presented an overview of the day’s activities, including flying to George Town, Exuma and plans for lunch.  By 9:00 am we were back on the ferry on our way to the airport.

Since not all of the planes had fueled up since we left, a number of the planes made a pit stop in Marsh Harbor to fuel before the longer leg of the flight.

The flight from Abaco to Exuma was the longest flight yet and by the time we landed everyone was ready for lunch. We were met by Rhonda Ingraham and loaded onto buses for the short scenic ride to the Palm Bay Resort. The ocean looked like a magazine spread. You could hardly tell where the teal ocean met the cloudless blue sky. Everyone was already anticipating the cool ocean water after the hot flight.

Walking up to the Palm Bay Resort did not do the resort justice; it was not until you walked out the back of the resort and headed for the villa that you realized the true beauty of the location. The Resort faced east and the sun sent its reflection running over the motionless ocean.  Everyone was pulled between the idea of lunch and the idea of a dip in the waters. We all dropped our stuff off and headed back to the bus so we could catch the ferries out to Stocking Island.

Pulling up to Stocking Island made you want to stay and never leave. It was a true Bahamas location, not a single person in the group wanted to leave when the time came to depart. We had lunch at Chat N’ Chill and everyone had the opportunity to watch the locals make Conch Salad, go snorkeling, and even feed and pet sting rays.

By 4:30 we were heading back to the resort where we had time before dinner to relax. A lot of people took naps or relaxed; others kicked back at the pool or relaxed on the beach.

Dinner was held at Splash (the resort bar and restaurant). The dinner was delicious and afterwards the Bahamas Tourist Office presented Bahamas Gateway FBO specialist certificates to everyone and Bahamas jackets to the Flying Ambassadors and special guests. We also had two individuals on the trip who were celebrating their birthday, and it was arranged for two cakes to be brought out for everyone to share.

After dinner it was time to get some rest for the next morning’s 9 am departure from Exuma back to Florida.

Overall the trip was beneficial and helpful. All those who attended learned something new and have wonderful stories to share and ideas to get more pilots flying to the Bahamas. With so many islands so close to Florida, it is an opportunity you don’t want to miss, because it is truly Better in the Bahamas!

by Chloé Foster

Thursday 8-26-10

Today was the first day of the Familiarization Trip to the Bahamas, over 40 people with a total of 9 planes met at SheltAir at FLL. SheltAir provided a continental breakfast of juice, coffee, and bagels while Greg Rolle from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism debriefed the group. Greg went over the plans for the trip, handed out name tags and agenda booklets. A representative from both SheltAir and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism spoke to the group and after everyone had filed their eAPIS we were ready to go.

The flight was only about 45 min long, and we enjoyed perfect conditions. We landed in Freeport at the Grand Bahamas Airport and were greeted by a representative of the airport, line service technicians and a photographer. The line tech took our bags and after a few snap shots we were whisked off to Customs. Right outside of Customs the feel of the Bahamas was already in the air as we were greeted with Bahama Mamas and conch fitters. The passengers enjoyed the sun and music, while the pilots went inside to meet with Customs. After everyone went through Customs we boarded a bus to The Radisson Our Lucaya Resort.

The bus ride from the airport to the resort was short and the driver gave a nice overview of the island and what it had to offer for both pilots and tourists. Looking out the bus, you knew you were in the Bahamas. The houses were bright Caribbean colors of green, pink and blue.

Upon arrival at the Radisson Our Lucaya Resort it was obvious that it was a five star hotel. Checking in was quick and simple and the resort representatives directed everyone to their rooms. We all received ocean view rooms and the view was spectacular. It over looked the horse shoe pool that ran up to the ocean front.

Lunch, hosted by the Grand Bahamas Ministry of Tourism was a working lunch and Round Table Seminar. Greg Rolle led the discussions and Karen Seymour from the Grand Bahamas Ministry of Tourism welcomed us to Grand Bahama. We went around the table and everyone introduced themselves and the company they represented. There were over 40 aviation representatives.

After a short detailed presentation from James Turner, the Commerical/Business Development Director for The Grand Bahama Airport, about the island and all it has to offer, a number of the pilots/groups who lead fly-ins to the Bahamas had a lot to say about today’s reception at the airport. A number of concerns were addressed as well as a lot of positive feedback.

After the round table everyone was given about 1 ½ hours for leisure time so they could explore the island, sit by the pool, take a dip in the ocean or go shopping.

Everyone met back in the lobby later that afternoon to be transported to the Airport for a happy hour outside of thetower. We had the opportunity to tour the inside of the control tower, something that many of us had never had the chance to do before. The Grand Bahama Fire Department did a demonstration and everyone watched the sun set over the runway.

Then it was back to Port Lucaya for dinner at Luciano’s. Dinner was hosted by the Grand Bahamas Tourist Office and the Grand Bahama Promotion Board. The restaurant was excellent and the food was delicious. Everyone had a wonderful time and it gave everyone a chance to mingle.

After dinner several people chose to enjoy the night life, and others headed back to the hotel to rest up for an early start Friday morning.

Saturday June 12, Hangar63 (Banyan’s Aviation Store) donated half of the days gross profits to Angel Flight. Angel Flight is a non-profit volunteer pilot organization involved in “public benefit flying.” They arrange free air transportation by private aircraft to distant medical facilities when commercial services are not available, impractical or simply not affordable. To encourage pilots and passengers to participate in this fund raising event, Banyan agreed to provide $1.00 off per gallon of gas and Jet Runway Café provided $5.00 off any Hangar63 customer’s bill for that day. Banyan’s Line Service team provided every landing aircraft with information about the event and encouraged customers to stop by and help out the cause.

Members of Angel Flight held a meeting in the Sabal Palm conference room and before wrapping up for the day presented Banyan with a Humanitarian Award for the helping the organization. Chuck Speakman, Hangar63’s manager, was proud to accept the award and thanking Angel Flight for all they do.

Hangar63 (Banyan’s Aviation Store) was pleased with the outcome and looks forward to making this an annual event.

“We hope this type of partnership will be considered by other aviation groups who support our mission.  Partnerships with for-profit groups are a great way to team and be successful in the current economy”, says Blake Mathis, President/CEO of Angel Flight Southeast.

To find out how you can help Angel Flight, visit their website.

To keep up on all the latest Banyan events, news and more, fan us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

For a limited time and while supplies last, any flight bag purchased will include a free large cooler bag and any PLB purchased will include a mini flashlight combo pack. Purchases must made online at TropicAero.com.

Click here to view flight bags
Click here to view PLB’s

Mike O’Keeffe, Brian Wilson, and Paul Rose represented Banyan Air Service at the 10th annual EBACE convention (European Business Aviation Association) held in Geneva, Switzerland.  This is the third year that Banyan has exhibited at this event.

EBACE is the primary business aviation show for all of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and all places in between.  It is a joint event sponsored by the NBAA and the EBAA.  EBACE is a good indicator for business aviation trends in the European marketplace, and it was nice to see that both attendees and exhibitors exceeded last year’s convention on the first day.  The aircraft static area was full with around 65 business aircraft on display, and the over-all feeling of the show was upbeat and positive.

This year, like last year, Banyan teamed up with Duncan Aviation and Fargo Jet Center, all under the umbrella of Avfuel.  We were pleased that Banyan’s recognition as a world class FBO and international gateway has continued to grow. We were pleased to be among the exhibitors and look forward to attending next year with even more to offer!

Since 2001 the International Air Rally team has put together some of the largest International Air Rallies in North America, the most recent being the Governor General’s International Air Rally, Caribbean Air Challenge. The Challenge kicked off from Banyan Air Service on April 17. A group of around 57 aviators flew into Banyan over a two day period rallying for their 10 day trip around the Caribbean. The group consisted of aviators from around the world, including Australia, Switzerland, France, Canada and the U.S.

The Governor General’s Cup competition was established in 1953, by Right Honorable Charles Vincent Massey, First Canadian appointed Governor. The trophy awarded for this competition is one of the most prestigious of aviation awards. The competition challenges pilots in a variety of areas including aviation knowledge, flying skills, team work, and collaboration.

The International flying group made a number of stops including:
Great Exuma, Bahamas
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Constanza, Dominican Republic
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
Sky Beach Eleuthera, Bahamas
Treasure Cay, Bahamas

Banyan was proud to be the kick-off and finishing location for the Challenge.

If you are interested in next year’s Challenge or other Rallies in North America, visit the International Air Rally home page.

Visit the Banyan website to learn more about upcoming events, or you can become a Fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter!

During this economic time, saving a few bucks when buying something you need is always a good thing. Hangar63 (Banyan’s Aviation Store) is running a special on Bose Headsets from now until the end of May. This offer gives customers a chance to trade up and get a new Bose Aviation Headset X for $150.00 off the regular price. With the price adjusted at the point of sale, there is no rebate form, delay, or complications to deal with, just a simple savings.

Not only is this special being offered at Hangar63 but it is available to aviation enthusiasts around the world through our online store Tropicare.com. They are even sweetening the pot by providing FREE 2-day FedEx shipping to anywhere in the Continental U.S. and Alaska!

To learn more about the Bose Aviation Headset X visit TropicAero.com

*Disclaimer:

Offer valid April 1 – May 31, 2010. Restrictions apply. Aviation Headset X is a registered trademark of Bose Corporation in the U.S.

The Garmin 296 was built on the traditional Garmin aviation handhelds and offered a faster speed, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery back, and an automatic logbook that calculated your flight time then prior GPS’. But with time comes new products and the Garmin aera 500 is now lined up to replace this now discontinued Garmin 296. The Garmin aera series is a dual-duty GPS providing users with a simple transition from flying to driving. The Garmin aera 500 is the most affordable of the touch screen models and what some would consider an entry-level model. The Garmin aera 500 comes pre-loaded with topographical mapping to help you view surrounding terrain. It is capable of holding up to 50 flight plans with up to 300 points each. The Garmin aera 500 is ready for use straight out of box. 

Garmin aera 500 & Garmin 296 Side-By-Side Comparison

Although the Garmin 296 was one of the first to have many of the now standard features at a reasonable price, the Garmin aera 500 is just as user friendly with a sleeker look and wider screen. Want more information on the Garmin aera 500? Click Here.

Flight Display Systems is introducing a new 22″ Widescreen Fly HD™ flat-panel LCD. It is available today and features true 1080p graphics with a native resolution of 1920×1080.

This large 22″ HD LCD is ideally sized for Gulfstream, Challenger, Global Express, and Falcon operators to enjoy Blu-ray movies and other in-flight entertainment. Weighing just 9.75 lbs and only 1.6″ in depth, the FD220CV VerHD is an extremely high quality, compact LCD.

The first installation was done in a Challenger 604 by Banyan Air Service at Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport, Florida. The 22″ HD Widescreen LCD from Flight Display Systems was installed on the forward and rear bulkheads. The owner will use the monitor to watch Blu-ray movies and his Flight Display Moving Map.

The FD220CV VerHD includes 1080p input capability via two HDCP-capable HDMI ports. A PC input is also available to display computer graphics such as a Flight Display Moving Map. Standard resolution composite and S-Video inputs are also included to maintain compatibility with legacy video sources.

The teammates at Banyan Air Service, based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport have recently committed their support to 4KIDS of South Florida. Banyan helps this organization through volunteer opportunities, monetary donations, and new and gently used items.

“We considered several nonprofit organizations but felt that the mission of 4KIDS of South Florida was the right match for Banyan. We spent several weeks getting to know the organization and felt that the Banyan team would be very supportive of the mission of 4KIDS of South Florida,” said Brandy Voss, Banyan’s Spirit Committee Director.

Last month, Banyan volunteers worked every Saturday to renovate a donated house by repairing drywall, fixing sprinklers, painting rooms, and working on landscaping. In addition, Banyan teammates support the nonprofit with donations through payroll deductions.

4KIDS of South Florida is a nonprofit organization committed to meeting the needs of thousands of children in foster care. From the moment a child is removed from their family because of abuse, abandonment, or neglect, this organization provides for them physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. 4KIDS has over 100 licensed foster homes and foster families, twelve family-style homes, and cares for over 1000 children each year. For more information about 4KIDS of South Florida, or to register for the BiG Cardio Event, visit
www.4KIDSofSFL.org.

Visit 4KIDS of South Florida to learn what you can do to help

To see the latest Banyan projects or view pictures from the Boca House Project, become a Banyan fan on Facebook.