The Boeing B-17F "Flying Fortress" AFA-317th Chapter Aircraft

**********************************************************
"It has served, unlike any other bomber, through all of the Second World War. It had become a legend in its time. A tribute to the men who had conceived, designed, and built it-and a monument to the remarkable young men, most of them boys who flew it. These men, and this plane, accomplished one of the most frightening missions ever demanded of men and aircraft. Together they helped end history's last "Glorious War".

MIAMI-HOMESTEAD AIRFORCE ASSOCIATION CHAPTER 317th

AFA-317 Blogspot created and maintained by Benny F. Benitez, FAA -Airframe / Powerplant and FCC-Ham Radio Lic.) VFW Life Member, Former Chapter President (2009-2010). Current Chapter Vice President of Special Projects

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Air Force Association Miami Chapter, The 317th Leadership Commences Private Support / Relief Flights To Haiti OPERATION HAITIAN RESTORATION 2010

Miami, Florida, AFA-317th Chapter Secretary Catherine Smallwood is "Boots on Ground" at Haiti Port Au Prince Airport. While "In Country" and on station flying over Haiti, AFA-317th Chapter Secretary Smallwood acted as Reconnaissances Officer and Observer, as she photographed many areas of city and the various U.S. support / relief assets both at the airport and anchored off shore
AFA-317th Chapter member Mr. Chris Walston owner / operator of Walston Aviation L.L.C., an established, licensed and insured Part 135 operator based out of Tamiami Regional Airport conducts the weighing of all bags. Mr. Walston was the Mission Commander / Pilot in Command on board the flight
AFA-317th Chapter Secretary and the 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group (94th ACG) Chief Pilot and Consultant Director of Flight Operation Catherine Smallwood, FAA-CFI, CFII, MEI & Gold seal Flight Instructor acts as the Second Officer / Mission Specialist of the Flight which included duties as Flight Observer and Reconnaissance Officer for the mission (Mission # HR-001)
The Piper Chieftain which was manned by two members of the AFA-317th, N4117K sits on the deck in Haiti preparing to launch back to Tamiami. Note the "Jerry Cans" of extra fuel that were pre-position into Haiti by the crew in the event of low fuel status. Complement to our friend within the Department of Defense / USAF for the consideration and provision
Shown with AFA-317th Chapter President Benny F. Benitez, Founder & CEO of the 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group (94th ACG) upon her return to Tamiami Airport is Doctor Natalie W. Geary a Pediatrics Specialist from West Palm Beach. Doctor Geary was grateful to the (94th ACG) for the free ride back to the U.S. after being in Haiti for two weeks. Present but not pictured was Doctor Larry Sherlie from Boston, Massachusetts who also was airlifted back to the U.S by AFA-317 members. It should be noted that currently there is no scheduled commercial air service to and from the besieged nation
While on the deck in Haiti, AFA-317th Chapter Secretary Catherine Smallwood took this photo of an HH-60H helicopter belonging to U.S. Navy Squadron HS-15 "Red Lions" based out of Jacksonville, Florida and attached to the U.S. Navy Carrier, the U.S.S. Carl Vinson CVN-70, hovers over a large collection of relief material at the airport.
An example of what matter for the support of the Haitian effort is "Airlift" Shown here close to the 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group aircraft, which was crewed by a member of the AFA-317th, Chapter Secretary is a Canadian Armed Forces Boeing C-17A Globemaster III cargo aircraft landing
AFA-317th Chapter Secretary, Catherine Smallwood noted that Airport at Port Au Prince, Haiti appeared to look more like a front line combat theater as evident of the amount of Military hard ward present. Shown is an U.S. Air Force Special Operation MC-130. Despite being out of its element as its main mission concerns and deals with "Special Operations" nonetheless, its a C-130 that could haul food, medicine and supplies

Miami, Florida / Port a Prince, Haiti 27th January 2010: Very well being the ONLY Air Force Association Chapter to take part in the direct support and relief efforts into Haiti, elements of the Air Force Association Miami Chapter, the 317th organized, loaded up and crewed a support flight to Haiti on 27th January 2010.
Having been established by the 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group (94th ACG), the parent company of the Chapter President and in a joint operational effort with an associated alliance companies such as Hunes McCoy Aviation which is based in Atlanta, Georgia and Walston Aviation LLC of Miami, Florida, an FAA FAR-135 operation, set the wheels into motion to provide airlift for the representatives of a major, U.S. national child adoption agency who traveled to Haiti to commence the return of children slated for adoption.
The the flight crew consisted of two AFA-317th Chapter Members thus being Mr. Chris Walston Mission Commander, Chapter Member and Catherine Smallwood Chapter Secretary who acted as Mission Specialist. Both crew members are fully rated and experienced flight instructors as well as seasoned commercial airline pilots from the cargo and regional passenger side of the industry.
AFA-317th crews are slated to again undertake a series of flights back and forth to Haiti while again utilizing the the Piper Chieftain aircraft, N4117K and a 30 passenger seat SAAB-340 turbo prop aircraft.

No comments:

Post a Comment