A team of industry professionals are out in force at the show to highlight their new nonprofit organization Sky Hope Network and bolster support for the initiative from their colleagues within business aviation community.
Sky Hope founder and president Robin Eissler, vice president of Jet Quest was a critical player in the corporate aviation responding to emergencies (CARE) relief efforts that responded in 2005 to Hurricane Katrina's aftermath and to the earthquake in Haiti earlier this year.
CARE coordinated over 800 flights on business jets, transporting more than 4,000 passengers and over 1.2 million lbs (544,000kg) of critically-needed supplies.
Sky Hope says it has three pillars upon which its work will be based - to coordinate business aviation relief flights during both small and larg-scale disasters; to provide coordination and referrals of flight requests for urgent or emergency situations through Sky Hope's aircraft network or by working with other flight charity organizations; and to offer emergency assistance, both flight and non-flight related, for people in the business aviation community.
Eissler said at the show: "I have found over and over again that the resources are available, but without someone acting as the passenger's advocate and championing momentum, the assets rarely get coordinated."
Sky Hope says it "is counting on the business aviation community to help it grow and succeed and needs donations of flights, funds and time. The use of donated aircraft is the heart of Sky Hope and volunteer aircraft owners and pilots make missions possible."
Source: Flight Daily News