Pete Bunce believes that business and general aviation have “given back for years.” The GAMA president claims that “Every year at our annual review we talk about using our aircraft for humanitarian missions . . . and when you [consider] business aviation, there are many organizations, each with a niche for routine humanitarian efforts, that the larger public isn’t familiar with, but which help a lot of people.”

Space prohibits recognition of all the business aviation operators that donated their aircraft and cockpit crews to the Haitian earthquake relief effort; industry companies supporting it with donations of money, food and supplies; and volunteers who gave generously of their time and sweat. Thumbnail sketches of many others can be found on the NBAA Web site at www.nbaa.org/news/2010/haiti/business-aviation-in-action/missions.

The NBAA has developed an online registry for companies willing to donate their aircraft and flight crews to disaster relief efforts like the Haitian airlift and for individuals who wish to volunteer their services. The business aviation advocacy group is partnered with Corporate Aviation Responding to Emergencies (C.A.R.E.), which coordinates airborne relief missions, connecting operators with representatives in disaster areas or non-government organizations (NGOs) active there.