Hurricane Dorian: WWII plane to fly to Bahamas to aid survivors - c-47 skytrain.jpg

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hur...Lr7?li=BBnb7Kz

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Tico Belle, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain that dropped Allied
paratroopers over France on D-Day, will take flight in the humanitarian battle
to save lives in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian laid waste across the island
nation.

The vintage plane will depart Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville,
Florida by 6:30 a.m. Saturday, then fly to a supply hangar at Orlando Melbourne
International Airport, said Norman Daniels, commander of the Valiant Air
Command.

Volunteers will load up to 5,000 pounds of hurricane relief supplies aboard the
World War II warbird, which will take off for Sandy Point on Great Abaco Island.

"There's a real need to service the people that have been devastated. And we
have a viable aircraft. We have volunteer pilots who are willing to make the
trip," Daniels said.

"So we feel very strongly about helping those that can't help themselves at the
moment. Hopefully, we'll make two round trips (Saturday), depending on weather,"
he said.

Tico Belle is the flagship of the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in
Titusville. The plane will join Brevard's Relief for the Bahamas, a coalition
including the Florida Institute of Technology, ABC Supply of Central Florida,
the Brevard County Clerk's Office and dozens of business partners.

A countywide drive is funneling supplies to Hangar 4A off Aerospace Drive at the
Melbourne airport. A Florida Tech-owned Panther Navajo aircraft flew thousands
of pounds of goods to Sandy Point on three flights Thursday and Friday —
including "a big water run."

"Although it's a bad situation, they've set up a pretty orderly system. Customs
is on the ground there, in a limited capacity," Miguel Estremera, the Panther
Navajo co-pilot and 1998 Florida Tech aviation management graduate, said Friday
afternoon.

"We went back today. There was an increased presence — a lot of civilians next
to the airfield, looking to either get out or looking for supplies. The Bahamian
police and the Bahamian defense force is there, keeping watch over the whole
situation," Estremera said.

"They need water. They need the basic essentials. The sun was very hot, like it
is here," he said.

Flight time from Melbourne to Great Abaco Island is about 1 hour, Estremera
said.

Inside Hangar 4A, volunteers are sorting and folding stacks of donated men's,
women's and children's clothing. Pallets and boxes contain charcoal grills,
Ramen noodles, baby wipes, bottled water, toilet paper, first aid supplies,
elbow macaroni and an array of other goods.

"We're making a good dent. They're happy, and they want us back. It's getting
directly into the hands of people — literally, boxes are coming out and they're
handing them to folks that have been sitting on the sides of this airport,"
Estremera said.





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