AAR Airlift Supports Typhoon Haiyan Relief Missions in the Philippines
January 6, 2014
Crews deliver food, water and medical supplies to victims in remote areas in support of the U.S. Navy
THE PHILIPPINES – AAR Airlift employees, assisting U.S. Department of Defense humanitarian relief efforts following the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, have transported key personnel and delivered 250,000 pounds of food, water and medical supplies to remote areas in support of the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC). The storm affected approximately 9.5 million people and ignited a five-week relief effort. Already providing airlift support aboard the USS Richard E. Byrd in the Pacific Ocean, AAR completed nine missions as part of the U.S. relief efforts known as Operation Damayan.
Flying 330J Puma helicopters, AAR Airlift flight crews utilized sling loads to deliver critical relief for the storm's victims to narrow beach fronts and rice paddies.
AAR’s eight-member detachment included maintenance technicians and pilots, among them Officer in Charge Bill Willis who described the devastation. "I have never seen anything like it,” said Willis. “We saw total destruction over a widespread area, including remote islands. Because of our crew’s previous experience with such disasters, the Navy instructed us to identify areas in need and deliver the emergency supplies. Assisting this effort was very rewarding to all those involved.”
Typhoon Haiyan has been called one of the worst natural disasters in Philippines’ history, with a death toll exceeding 6,000 people and with more than 27,000 reported injured. AAR Airlift has been providing vertical replenishment support to the U.S. Navy ships in the Western Pacific, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Gulf since 2007.
“I’d like to thank Airlift employees for their hard work supporting Operation Damayan and the U.S. Navy,” said Randy J. Martinez, President and CEO, AAR Airlift Group. “AAR is proud to have contributed to this recovery effort, and our hearts go out to the families who have lost so much in this devastating storm.”
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About AAR
AAR is a global aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Based in Wood Dale, Illinois, AAR supports commercial aviation and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR’s Aviation Services include inventory management; parts supply; OEM parts distribution; aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul; engineering services and component repair. AAR’s Expeditionary Services include airlift operations; mobility systems; and command and control centers in support of military and humanitarian missions. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com.
Media contact: Daniela Pietsch, Vice President Corporate Marketing & Communications, at editor@aarcorp.com or +1 630-227-5100.
This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled “Risk Factors”, included in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company’s control. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included in AAR’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.