Page 20 - TNT Dec 2017

Austin nonprofits and aviation businesses to set up a supply chain mission that supported Houston and the Texas coast. At one point during the hurricane’s peak, the coastal cities of Beaumont and Port Arthur received 26 inches of rain in 24 hours.
“The area was essentially an island. There was no way of getting food or supplies in except by aircraft or boat,” said Brown. “You looked down and just saw miles and miles of roads and houses underwater.”
The bulk of the supplies consisted of packaged food, water and sandwiches. But one flight in particular stuck with Warren – a critical mission to deliver Pedialyte and other infant supplies for a baby in Beaumont suffering dehydration.
“That f light felt the most urgent of them all,” recalled Brown. “It was apparent those supplies were needed right away.” Fortunately, the items were successfully delivered.
After each landing in Beaumont, Warren joined hundreds of helicopters and other aircraft on the ground. Some were owner- flown but the majority being military. Beaumont’s Jack Brooks Regional Airport, a commercial airport, incredibly had little ramp space to spare.
“I don’t think I will ever see an airport like that in my lifetime – from R-22s to Chinooks and even C130s,” said Brown. “A couple of times, we had to hold outside the airspace 10 minutes before we could get on the radio.”
Nearby, Orange County Airport, an uncontrolled airfield, presented Warren with challenges of its own due to TFR’s
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and heavy helicopter traffic. Warren’s strategy consisted of keeping his airplane 1,500 feet or higher until he was able to bring it into a short final then “dive-bomb” the runway. Once on the ground, people quickly appeared to help offload and distribute the supplies.
“It was a busy, exhausting week of flights. But everything was extremely organized considering the circumstances,” said Brown. “PALS and the ground crew did an amazing job. I feel really good that I was able to help my home city.”
But just as Hurricane Harvey diminished, another tropical storm was rapidly brewing in the Atlantic. A storm that would go on record as the strongest Atlantic basin hurricane outside the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea ever recorded by the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Irma
On Sept. 6, Category 5 Hurricane Irma plowed through portions of the Caribbean with incredible 175-plus mph winds, causing tremendous damage to Barbuda and parts of the United States and British Virgin Islands. The storm which stretched 650 miles from east to west, prompted massive evacuations amongst the islands and Florida, displacing millions of people.
As many continued to flee the affected areas, PALS founder and owner-pilot Joe Howley and his co-pilot Brian Lisoski prepared to fly critically needed communications equipment from White Plains, New York to St. Thomas. The hurricane had completely wiped out communications on the island.
“Irma was a really big challenge being an international flight. It was not a situation where you can just show up,” said Howley, an experienced volunteer pilot. “I think I spent around 12 hours on conference calls with other groups and NGO’s (non-governmental organizations) in preparation. Our office coordinators probably spent twice that much.”
As the plans solidified, Brian prepared Howley’s PC-12 for the mission by reconfiguring the seats and protecting the
PALS founder and owner-pilot Joe Howley and his co-pilot Brian Lisoski flew critically needed communications equipment from White Plains, New York to St. Thomas in the Caribbean following Hurricane Irma.
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