Haiti pilots recognized by U.S. senators

From the Alaska Dispatch:

Now, where's the news in the papers in the Lower 48???

Haiti pilots recognized by U.S. senators

After the country of Haiti was smashed apart by a mighty earthquake in January, general aviation pilots swooped in to give whatever help they could.
General aviation pilots flew over 4,500 flights in the month following the earthquake, according to a press release from Sen. Mark Begich's office. Begich is a member of the Senate's general aviation caucus.

"With Haiti's transportation network in ruins, general aviators from across the country selflessly volunteered their time, money and most importantly their planes, to help ship over one million pounds of cargo and supplies to the people of Haiti," Begich said. "This resolution is a meaningful way to recognize their contributions and encourage their continued generosity."

If you're a Bush Pilot regular, you've known about this for months now. Bush Pilot contributor Matthew Keller wrote a number of posts about his brother flying a helicopter around Haiti. When Zach got back home this is what he had to say.

By God's grace I was healthy the whole time, and the helicopter worked flawlessly. We flew 18 people to the hospital for medical emergencies. We also flew medical supplies, food, and medical teams. We did several survey flights to assess the need for medical attention and water in remote villages, and just a couple of beach landings to take a quick swim. It was an amazing experience that I feel privileged to have been a part of.

From Begich's press release:

Founded in September of last year, the Senate General Aviation Caucus works with pilots, aircraft owners, the aviation industry, and relevant government agencies to promote a safe and vibrant environment for general aviation. Alaska has an estimated six times as many pilots and 16 times as many aircraft per capita as the rest of the country. There are over 220,000 GA aircraft and 650,000 certified pilots in the U.S.