My name is Harvey, but I go by a different name if I’m near Houston, Texas—any other name. My daughter and I enjoy taking quick trips from our home in Central Texas to Houston for Astros games, so she accompanies her dad, “Bob,” on those trips.
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey ravaged the city of Houston and the Gulf Coast, leaving behind 100 dead and billions of dollars in damage. After the “storm which shall not be named” finally dissipated, everyone in the nation wanted to do what they could to help the storm’s victims.
Typically, Americans identify a disaster relief organization, like the American Red Cross, and send it money. That, in addition to the support provided by the federal government, is indispensable for storm-affected areas.
But it still doesn’t meet all of the victims’ needs. While the government and large relief organizations do what they can to help, there are still significant gaps in their capabilities.
Given the functionality of most GA airplanes and the mission-driven nature of most GA pilots, our ranks are willing and able to volunteer. For victims in Houston, a small air force of Skylanes, Cherokee Sixes, PC-12s, and more were able to get into the disaster-stricken areas with critical supplies before many other groups could. It meant the world to so many people and even saved lives.
At this moment, GA pilots are volunteering their airplanes and time to ferry essential supplies and people into the southeastern United States in the wake of hurricanes Helene and Milton.
As with any relief operation, organization and coordination are critical, lest the relief efforts unintentionally worsen the situation. Occasionally, a well-intentioned but ill-informed pilot or two will “go rogue,” flying potentially unneeded supplies to an area without the infrastructure required to accept and store the donated goods, complicating relief plans already underway.
Because you’re a GA pilot (and, therefore, a wonderful person), you’ll want to know how your help can actually be helpful. Here’s your checklist.
Coordinate with a relief organization. Non-profits such as AERObridge are great resources for letting relief responders know you’re a GA pilot ready to step up. They’ll assign you flying tasks coordinated with other relief organizations and local, state, and federal agencies.
Several impactful organizations can put you in a position to help. Just be sure you’re working with one that coordinates with the government and other relief groups.
Know your limits and those of your airplane. To say that you’ll be flying into less-than-ideal circumstances is an understatement. It would be unfortunate to return to base with a load of supplies because you realized you could not land on an 8,000-foot runway of which only 2,000 feet was usable.
Use all available resources for situational awareness. The best solution is to bring a second pilot with you. Also, if you have traffic awareness or collision avoidance equipment, use it. ATC services may be reduced or nonexistent, and there’s liable to be a lot of air traffic in the disaster area.
Be self-sufficient. As much as possible, anticipate and prepare for problematic mechanical and situational issues. Bring spark plugs, oil, tools, etc.
Further, assume you cannot refuel until you return home unless you are 100% sure fuel is available along your route or at your destination. Three days of food and water aboard can get you through unexpected delays coming home.
Follow Federal Aviation Regulations. More than ever, a disaster is when you should adhere strictly to FARs. Among the many good reasons (principally, you are supposed to do it anyway), it makes your actions predictable in an otherwise chaotic environment.
Be especially mindful of pop-up TFRs in and around the disaster area and prepare for unexpected instructions from ATC as they do their best to bring order to unusual traffic scenarios. While not related to safety, two regulations you’ll want to know well are 61.113 (d) regarding compensation for your flights, usually fuel reimbursement, and 91.146.
Be willing to stand down. Relief flying is a lot like relief pitching. You may or may not get a call based on what’s needed.
Perhaps your airplane doesn’t meet the requirements of a particular disaster. That’s okay because you can still be a hero by not going, which avoids adding to the workload of relief workers. If you want to help, grab your wallet and donate to a trusted disaster relief organization.
We all want to pitch in when disaster strikes, and being GA pilots gives us special opportunities to assume heroic roles in the lives of our fellow citizens. Just be sure to follow the rules above to play the part of Superman rather than Lex Luthor (and team up with Bob and not Harvey).