WASHINGTON — AIRLINK , the 24/7 disaster relief organization that links pre-vetted NGO’s with airlines, has secured a charter jet, with funding donated by Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr., to fly emergency medical aid and protective gear for healthcare workers fighting the deadly Ebola outbreak.
ATX Air Services, LLC, a subsidiary of the Hillwood Development, a Perot company, will provide the 737 charter to transport critical supplies such as masks, gowns, gloves and other medical equipment from their home base of Ft. Worth, Texas, to Monrovia, Liberia, with an interim stop at New York’s JFK airport to load additional aid.
The flight will leave JFK on Tuesday, August 26, carrying a 30,000 pound payload, and will be manned by two volunteer crews, flying back-to-back and rotating to keep rested. On board will be four pilots, a mechanic and a load master. The flight will touch down in Monrovia, unload its humanitarian cargo, refuel and immediately take off for the return flight.
Steve Smith, Executive Director of AIRLINK commented, “AIRLINK would like to thank Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. and ATX Air Services, LLC, a subsidiary of Hillwood Development, for the generous donation of this plane to provide medical supplies and humanitarian aid to the people of Liberia. With the supply chain significantly contracted by many carriers deciding not to fly into West Africa at this time, we are particularly appreciative of the efforts of the Perots and ATX Air Services. Many of our NGO partners have told us we are the only avenue for them to deliver aid.”
Speaking on behalf of ATX Air Services, General Manager Scott Bohnenkamp praised the crew remarking, “I had no problem getting the crew for this mission. I had six slots to fill and I had six volunteers willing to donate their time and efforts.”
The five non-profit organizations in AIRLINK’s network of NGOs sending the much needed supplies in the airlift are: AFYA Foundation, AmeriCares, ChildFund International, Direct Relief and MedShare. Other AIRLINK partners providing logistical support on the ground are: UPS, FedEx, ALAN, and LIFT.
Read more about this mission here.
ABOUT ATX AIR SERVICES AND HILLWOOD DEVELOPMENT
ATX Air Services, LLC, is a subsidiary of Hillwood Development, a Perot company, one of the top commercial real estate investors and developers in the country and a leading residential developer in Dallas-Fort Worth. Located at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport, ATX Air Services was formed in early 2013 to provide aviation services. ATX Air Services has recently become known for its humanitarian missions.
Hillwood is best known for its Alliance brand that includes the 18,000-acre AllianceTexas, 4,474-acre AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center and 2,000-acre AllianceCalifornia developments. For additional information about the company, please visit www.hillwood.com.
ABOUT AIRLINK
AIRLINK is a 24/7 disaster response organization that links pre-vetted nonprofits with airlines for air and cargo transportation. Through the AIRLINK program, disaster response teams can be mobilized to affected areas in a timely manner; disaster victims can receive delivery of necessary relief, supplies and the support that ultimately will help them rebuild their lives. AIRLINK’s reach is global, with an air transportation network that is constantly expanding as crises and natural disasters are on the rise around the world. AIRLINK has supported humanitarian initiatives on every continent. Since its inception in 2010, AIRLINK’s airline partners have flown approximately 3,300 passengers and transported 800,000 lbs. of cargo.
For more information, please visit www.airlinkflight.org. Click through to AIRLINK Partners to view a current list of Airline and NGO Participants. Follow AIRLINK on Facebook and Twitter.
