This exceptional King Air 300 has just received freshly overhauled engines by Dallas Airmotive with Airtight Warranty and just completed an extensive Phase 1-4 inspection. All inspections are complete and current, new windows, fresh landing gear, new fuel tanks, new de-ice boots and all Mandatory Service Bulletins and A.D.’s complete.

The avionics panel has been substantially upgraded with a Garmin 400 WAAS certified GPS, Garmin GMX-200 Multi-Function Display with Jeppesen Chartview and Safe Taxi, Skywatch Traffic Avoidance System, Honeywell RDR-2000 color weather radar with vertical profiling and a Garmin GDL-69 XM Weather Datalink. The aircraft is complete with new paint and interior conducted by Rose Aircraft of Mena, Arkansas and looks new. The aircraft is squawk free and 100% turn-key and ready to fly with no damage history and exceptional logs and records.

Please call Kristin Jolley anytime  at 954.492.3554 to discuss this King Air in more detail or schedule a viewing at our Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport location, or visit www.banyanair.com to view additional aircraft in our inventory.

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

Today was the second day of the Bahamas FAM trip, and everyone met for breakfast around 7:30. Greg Rolle held a quick pilot’s de-briefing to prepare us for the next leg of the trip. He went over flight plans and requirements to ensure that all the pilots had everything they needed. After a quick breakfast everyone had about 2 hours before the bus arrived to take us back to the airport. People could either go to local shops or enjoy a morning walking along the beautiful beach!

Two hours went by too quickly and we were soon back on the bus and heading for Treasure Cay, Abaco. Watching everyone take off into the clear blue sky was something many people don’t get to see. By the time we landed at MYAT everyone was ready to take a break. We were met by Melinda Williams who broke us up into groups and put us on taxies that we took us over to a ferry. From there we took a short ferry ride to Green Turtle Cay. The water was cool, brilliantly blue and everyone was taking advantage of the beautiful photo opportunities.

If we thought Grand Bahama was amazing, pulling up to Green Turtle was breathtaking. The resort was in fact small cottages that ran along the coast line. Each one over looked the beautiful bay. Entering the resort was like entering a page in a travel magazine and the resort representatives were friendly and helpful.

The rooms were adorable, each one designed to make you feel like your home away from home. Sadly, we only had about 30 minutes before we had to board the Prozac charter boat and take the 1 ½ hour long ride down the Abaco Out Island chain to Guana Cay.

The boat ride was beautiful. The water was warm and it was a great time to socialize and talk about past experiences in the Abacos. Pulling into Guana Cay was beautiful; tiny jelly fish were swimming all around the boat and fish were darting underneath the dock. We all got off the boat and began to make our way up to Nippers for lunch and drinks.

Nippers was a beautifully colored beach bar and grill. They had an outside bar with tables overlooking the beach and ocean with two swimming pools and a gift shop. They also had a restaurant where we ate lunch before we took the boat back to Breakers Cay, which was a beautiful private island.

Arriving back at Green Turtle, everyone made their way back to their rooms, where they got ready for happy hour and dinner at the resort’s restaurant. Molly McIntosh, the Director of Sales and Marketing, made sure that everything ran smoothly. During happy hour everyone gathered in the lounge area and watched a video of the last few years on the trip while dinner was being prepared.

After dinner, the pilots were given the opportunity to tell their “best” story and if the crowd liked it, they got a bottle of Fire in da Hole bottle of rum! All the pilots told great stories and before long everyone was laughing and having a wonderful time.

After dinner was leisure time. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism had secured 10 golf carts for anyone who wanted to go into the town and explore. Even though it was late a few people chose to go into town and went to Pineapples for a few more drinks and some late night dancing, while others called it a night.

Everyone had wished that we would have had more time on the island. Many people had hoped they would have the opportunity to go diving with the world renowned Brendal Stevens from Brendal’s Dive Center…but time was already ticking by too fast!

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.

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.

A nice compliment in the Twin Commander March Fleet Briefing.

  “BANYAN AT CENTER OF HAITAIN RELIEF EFFORTS

Banyan Air Service, a Twin Commander authorized service center at Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport, has been a focal point of general aviation Haitian relief efforts.

Immediately after the earthquake Banyan President Don Campion offered Banyan’s help in 24-hour support of aircraft staging for the long flight to Haiti. His wife, Sueanne, quickly became involved in helping to coordinate relief efforts along with Robin Eissler, who established Corporate Aviation Responding in Emergencies (CARE).

They have set up a public Facebook site to chronicle their efforts and recognize the people and companies that have contributed to the relief effort. In early March Eissler reported that since January 12, there have been 670 relief flights to Haiti that have carried 3400 passengers and 1,100,000 pounds of supplies. “Our work continues as we still have about 2-3 flights a day,” she wrote.

For more see http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=345189284760&ref=nf and a YouTube video thanking the many volunteers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY73K82kFi8.”

To learn about how you can participate in the Haiti relieft vistion 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.). To follow more about what Banyan is doing, become a Banyan Fan on Facebook or follow Banyan on Twitter.

As a Gateway FBO to the Bahamas, we are pleased to share this video filmed by Craig Peyton of BahamasAviator.com.

This video will be included in a DVD given out at major air shows and flying events this year by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

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

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.)