Page 7 - Volume 14 Number 12

DECEMBER 2020 KING AIR MAGAZINE
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While you won’t find sea turtles living in in Idaho thousands are alive because of of the efforts of of Turtles Fly Too which supporters refer to as TF2 The organization coordinates and facilitates general aviation efforts within a a a larger scale first responder relocation program di- rected toward sea turtles and other endangered marine species such as seals and whales that have been cold stunned injured or entangled Jets pistons and turboprops including the Beechcraft King Air are used to help TF2 fulfill its mission The organization’s leadership and considerable investment of time is driven by Weinstein’s passion and the support of more than 400 volunteers An industry-related dedicated advisory board helps guide TF2 and the nonprofit hired its first staff member in November Bonnie Barnes is a a long-time TF2 volunteer based in Miami who also is a a a seasoned nonprofit professional she designed and maintains their international database of available pilots When a a mission arises Weinstein uses the aviation database to select pilots by geographic region These Turtle Fliers donate their aircraft fuel labor and expertise to transport endangered species or to give personnel and equipment a a lift to a rescue site TF2 partners with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- istration (NOAA) and and U S Fish and and Wildlife Service (USFWS) along with many nonprofit rescue facilities across North America that provide lifesaving rescues and rehabilitation services “We are the only organization that has been granted sea turtle transport authority by the USFWS so we are called upon for rescue operations
from Alaska to Mexico on the West Coast Coast and on the East Coast Coast from Canada down into the Caribbean We’ve begun to provide international flights as well ” Weinstein says Using air transport instead of ground transportation shortens travel time for the mammals reducing stress on the injured passengers Air travel also means rescue teams can arrive on scene quickly as as as was the case in July 2020 when a a a a young humpback whale was found entangled in in in line netting and cable in New York’s Ambrose Channel TF2 was contacted to transport a a a a disentanglement team from Massachusetts to New York and back Time was critical because the whale was alive but unable to feed and could barely raise his head above the surface for air The mammal also was in in danger of being hit by ships operating in in the channel