In the days leading up to ex-Typhoon Halong’s arrival to western Alaska, Nome-based airline Bering Air rushed to get its passengers and cargo to their destinations. But the airline’s home base in Nome was spared from the worst of the powerful October storm after it unexpectedly veered to the east.
The airline’s President, Russell Rowe, said the day after the storm passed, Bering Air turned its attention to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, where several villages experienced severe flooding and high winds.
“That storm hit basically on October 12 and we had helicopters going down the very next day on October 13,” Russell said. “In the initial flights, those were surveying damage and unfortunately, searching for missing people.”
Bering Air dispatched its UH-1H Plus Huey, A-Star and Robinson R44 helicopters to help with recovery efforts. Rowe said the helicopters have picked up a number of odd jobs fixed wing aircraft aren’t suited for, like hoisting power lines and moving tundra pads used as temporary roads over the marshy tundra.
“The helicopter is being used almost like a crane or an excavator piece of equipment once it's on site in the affected community,” Rowe said.
Rowe said the helicopters have already ferried about a quarter of a million pounds of cargo from Bethel to outlying villages, including the hardest-hit communities of Kipnuk, Kwigillingok and Kongiganak.
Rowe estimates a dozen pilots and maintenance crew have rotated through Bethel, where a temporary base has been set up. He thanked Yukon Helicopters and Bethel Aircraft Services for hosting Bering Air employees and providing hangar space.
“We're down there helping as best we can and we'll stay down there as long as there's work to be done,” Rowe said. “We're pretty fortunate, we've got an excellent group of pilots and mechanics that are willing to uproot their living situation here in Nome and move down to Bethel.”
Rowe said crew from Bering Air will remain in Bethel until Thanksgiving. He said they may return after the holiday, depending on what work still needs to get done.
“We want everyone to know down there that from Bering Air and all of your neighbors up to the north that our thoughts are with you,” Rowe said. “We'll be there and helping this as long as we can and hopefully we can get people back to some level of normalcy here soon.”
