A 19 seat Beechcraft 1900 aircraft. Courtesy photo
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
UNITED NATIONS News:
The United Nations selected CSI Aviation in Albuquerque to fly Secretary General António Guterres on an important fact-finding mission to Marsh Harbour on Abaco Island.
CSI transported Guterres and Bahamian government officials Sept. 14 on a 19 seat Beechcraft 1900 aircraft from Nassau to Marsh Harbour.
Once Guterres arrived in Marsh Harbour, he took a helicopter tour provided by the Dutch military and then CSI returned him to Nassau.
CSI was selected due to its extensive government past performance and safety record. The flight required detailed planning and preparation to include diplomatic clearances, a backup aircraft on standby and coordination with local officials.
Complicating the mission, Tropical Storm Humberto was scheduled to arrive in Marsh Harbour the same day.
“We were monitoring the weather every hour and luckily we caught a break,” said Vice President of Sales & Services Marc Ramthun. “The storm went just east of Marsh Harbour and the flight went off as planned.”
The mission was flown by Captain James Mitchell and First Officer Brandon Harrison. Captain Mitchell, an experienced aviator in the New Mexico Army National Guard commented immediately after the flight on what he saw.
“Having flown to the same airport several weeks back on a charter flight compared to what we saw today, the islands around Marsh Harbour literally looks like ground zero for an atomic bomb detonation site,” he said.
CSI has flown and coordinated more than 25 flight operations in Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Florida and North Carolina in support of this year’s hurricane season.
During the hurricane season of 2017, CSI coordinated more than 200 flight operations to transport first responders, medical teams, generators, food and medicine. CSI also provided a turnkey solution for a dedicated helicopter in St. Croix, VI, DC-9 Cargo aircraft in San Juan, PR and Seeker search and rescue aircraft in Texas.
About CSI Aviation
Established in 1979, CSI Aviation, Inc. has grown into a global aviation company providing diverse and complex solutions to commercial, group and private individuals, and government customers. For more information, visit www.csiaviation.com.