CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. — Operation Airdrop, a nonprofit that flies donations in to people affected by natural disasters, has been focusing on Western North Carolina in recent days after Hurricane Helene crippled the region.
And last week, the Currituck County Regional Airport, after receiving a call last Monday from Outer Banks Aviation who was looking for more help, joined in the effort and started sending volunteer pilots.
William Nelson, director of the Currituck County Regional Airport, called up every local pilot he knew, he said. And every single one of them, he said, volunteered to go.
"Typically, we're the ones that receive that help, we're the ones usually getting those storms," Nelson said. "To see a part of our state that could have never imagined receiving that is devastating and sad, and we're just thankful we could help."
Nelson said, over the course of last week, they moved about 30,000 pounds of supplies out on planes to Western North Carolina. When the air space got to crowded, they started sending road vehicles, allowing for over 20,000 more pounds of supplies to be transported.
Elizabeth City State University also got the green light to participate, said flight instructor Madelyn Knowles.
"We just want to help those in need, using the resources that we have here," she said.
"All those pilots, they donate their aircraft, their time and their money to do this," Nelson said. "No one's paying them, no one's covering the fuel bill."
Operation AirDrop temporarily paused collections on Friday, but there's a good chance that it'll start back up again sometime this week. And if so, the Outer Banks pilots have said they'll pitch in however they can.
"We're there," Nelson said. "We're already there. We're happy to do it."
Operation Airdrop estimates that there have been 673 flights from all over the country headed to Western North Carolina. 1.102 million pounds of supplies in total -- by plane and truck -- were delivered last week.