Humanitarian Airlift

[seethru]

OK, I'm confused now (probably past my bedtime).

Grain? I mean, I know what grain is. At least I think I do.

Am I missing something here, or is there another meaning for that word (other than a product to make into great beer)?

Thanks.

Greg

 

[Rick1128]

Ngo

Actually the UN is considered a Government Organization not an NGO. To my knowledge the UN does not have its own flight department. I know it was discussed about 10 years ago, but I have not heard anything of it since then.

The UN and most NGOs have stiff pilot requirements at present. They are flying in areas that are at the very least very under developed. I am presently flying a Lear 35 on an UN contract in Afghanistan. I too enjoy the feeling of satisfaction in helping others.

Air Serv is hiring, but I have heard some issues within their pilot ranks about how different groups of pilots are paid and the fact that Air Serv is operating commercial operations and not passing some of the benefits on to their pilots.

To work in these conditions, one must be able to get totally along with everyone. And be so flexible that limp linguini looks stiff.

 

[trainer8]

Rick1128 is correct. For some reason, I put them under the NGO catagory, which is incorrect. My experience with them was in East and Central Africa, most recently
'rubbing shoulders with the UNHCR and UNWFP. At that time, it appeared that they were contracting aviation services using anything from Caravans, Beech 1900's, to using IL-76's to make food drops.

The IL-76 is their heavy iron and they were using Russian crews. (makes sense)

 

[Frozen Ronin]

Has anyone out there worked for Air Serve? Just had a talk with the soon to be new chief pilot here in Anchorage. Not much pay, but is seemed interesting. Not interesting enough to go where bullets fly frequently without doing a little research, first. Any comments?

 

[Fearless Tower]

lrjt, if you can get your hands on an aircraft, and money for fuel and other expenses you can fly a lot of that grain to Haiti, Jamaica, Grenada, Grand Cayman. All victims of hurricane Ivan and except for the last one not much in the way of relief has gone there yet. No housing (not even tents), no running water, no electricity, no food (crops are destroyed), no money.

Shipping grain to the Caribbean in airplanes??? Who's idea is that? I've done the grain trade in the Merchant Marine and since virtually all of the donated US grain basically comes from the Gulf of Mexico region which is only a day or two at the most away from the ports mentioned, there is no possible way it could be anything but a financial disaster to use planes for such a task.

 

[jdlilfan]

Has anyone out there worked for Air Serve? Just had a talk with the soon to be new chief pilot here in Anchorage. Not much pay, but is seemed interesting. Not interesting enough to go where bullets fly frequently without doing a little research, first. Any comments?

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=79043

 

[TurboS7]

The idea is wonderful and I have had the same vision for years. The problem is to implement it. I have had more success operatiing on a smaller scale. Big airplanes equals big work big job. Thinking that you could do something on your days off will not cut it, it will totally engulf you. Here are some things that I have done which really were neat. When I had the Part 135 I flew (part 91) missionaries to and from South America. I flew Bibles down, medical supplies etc. I was able to get help with the local churches for donations and fuel money. Our company did one trip a month and the pilots bid on it. They gave their time for free, and I think all the pilots really enjoyed their trips.
On a more recent scale. I fly for a Part 121 carrier. We had a flight going to Africa. I was able to get a bunch of stuff for the orpanages, and a local school. I bought soccar balls by the dozens, sent a couple of hundred baseballs( all gathered from little league fields over the year) dolls, and all kind of little knick, naks. I got them all to Miami and we sent them all over. You can't get too big as all this stuff was going in "under the radar". You get stuff too big and all the authorities have their hands out in more ways than you can imagine. I was able to go on a later Africa flight and help distribute all the stuff I had gotten together. This included being able to get a bunch of the soccar balls up to the refugee camps in the Darfur region. (they may be starving but they can pass the time playing soccar now) The personal involvement is very gratifying, but it is a lot of work. If you feel the way you do and you are young Mission Aviation has a program for airline pilots in Afganistan for short term work 1 to 2 months at a time. They are really short on qualified turbine pilots. If you want hardcore then Airserve is the way to go, they will burn you out and send you home wet sore and satified.