The National Air Transportation Association has distributed $13,000 in NATA member contributions to victims of Hurricane Katrina. The funds are being distributed this week.

Soon after Hurricane Katrina devastated Southern Louisiana and Mississippi, NATA issued a request to its members urging them to offer cash contributions to those NATA member companies directly impacted by the August 29 storm. Members responded by contributing via NATA's Web site, nata.aero. Most notable was a substantial contribution from Eastern Aviation Fuels.

NATA determined from conversations with member-companies in the damaged region that contributions could be of the most benefit if given to individual employees of those companies, many who lost everything they own.

"We believe we are providing these funds to the recipients at a time when they will do the most good," said NATA President James K. Coyne (pictured below).

"We hope that these contributions will help to ease the loss these people have suffered. We want to show our support for those members of the general aviation family who have been impacted by this tragedy, while realizing that much more needs to be done for this region to fully recover."

In addition to cash contributions, NATA members provided aircraft, fuel, pilots, and hundreds of hours of flight time to transport evacuees, and deliver much needed supplies to the region.

FMI: www.nata.aero