Organization Calls on Longer-Range Aircraft As Jamaica Faces the Tragic Aftermath of Melissa

The National Business Aviation Association is putting its humanitarian arm to work, activating its Humanitarian Emergency Response Operator (HERO) Database as Jamaica faces the aftermath of the strongest Hurricane in its history. The move connects volunteer aircraft operators with relief coordinators to ferry supplies and aid into areas with massive power outages, blocked roads, and collapsed infrastructure.

The HERO system is essentially a roster of business aviation operators who can mobilize at short notice. It feeds their information to disaster-response groups that coordinate flights and logistics. On top of flights, NBAA is urging donations through Operation Air Drop, AERObridge, and Airlink, which are organizing supply missions and preparing for longer-term support once conditions stabilize.

As of late October, Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) remained the only operational gateway, and even then, under limited service. At roughly 525 nautical miles from Fort Lauderdale Executive, the airfield’s fuel situation and runway condition have added complexity to aid planning. NBAA’s Doug Carr noted that these constraints make longer-range business aircraft the most practical tools for early missions into the island.

Complicating matters further, operators may face some red tape for Cuban overflight permissions and must obtain explicit clearance for Jamaican entries. Though these are standard procedural hurdles, clearing them has become time-critical to deliver medical supplies, food, and shelter materials before the situation worsens.

Luckily, NBAA isn’t alone in the push. Samaritan’s Purse recently used its Boeing 757 to deliver 38,000 pounds of solar lights, tarps, filtration systems, and other goods. Efforts are now shifting toward reopening Ian Fleming International near Ocho Rios and assessing the extensive damage to Montego Bay’s Sangster International, which officials describe as “very badly hit.”

“We have all hands on deck to get up and running as quickly as possible,” said Nari Williams-Singh, Director General of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA). “We need to collaborate with our airport operators and the Airports Authority of Jamaica; Jamaica Customs Agency; the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency; and all relevant entities. We are all coordinated, because it’s really an ecosystem and we all have to be in sync.”

FMI: www.nbaa.org