Apparently most business aircraft operators had the wherewithal and the good sense to clear out of the way in the face of the Southeastern hurricane hat trick in August
and September. Hurricanes Charley, Frances and, to a certain extent, Ivan (see sidebar) devastated Florida and exacted a heavy toll on airports and FBOs’ buildings and infrastructure. Some early estimates of aviation-related damages have ranged as high as $150 million, but that figure is likely to be revised downward. For one thing, almost all large turbine aircraft–and many piston airplanes–evacuated the region long before the wind began to blow and the rain began to fall.
According to United States Aviation Underwriters v-p Chris O’Gwen, the losses and damage to aircraft were limited to light pistons. “Our company certainly didn’t have any losses among turbine operators,” O’Gwen told AIN, “and I think I would have heard about any other companies’ losses in that category.”
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