Saving California with CalDART

An Interview with Paul Marshall and Susan Newman-Harrison

By Annamarie Buonocore

Here at In Flight USA, we appreciate those using aviation to save lives and and reducing misery during disasters. CalDART is one organization that is working diligently to help those in need. As many of our readers are aware, there were unprecedented storms in California this year. The mountains of San Bernardino collected more snow than any other year on record, and many neighbors were snowed snowed-into their homes. Thanks to CalDART teaming up with Susan Newman-Harrison of the Tumbling Bear Aerobatics Team, residents secured the food and necessary items. All of this aid came from the general aviation industry, which is clearly much needed.

In Flight USA was honored to talk with Paul Marshall, board member and president of CalDart, and Susan Newman-Harrison about the organization and this recent effort to help people in the San Bernardino mountain region during unprecedented storms.

Volunteers gathered needed supplies at local landing zones at the base of the mountains and volunteer pilots flew in often marginal VFR weather to deliver supplies. (Photo courtesy of CalDART and AOPA)

In Flight USAIFU: What does CalDART do?

PM Paul Marshall: CalDART is an organization that uses all kinds of aircraft to help anybody in need during a disaster. We help people who are stranded, people who are ill, and impoverished communities. We help them get the food, clothing, and necessities. We help those in need.

IFUIF USA: How long has CalDART been around?

PM: We have been around for about 13 years. – tThat’s when SCAPA DART was created. That is where we have our roots. But then The California Pilots Association (CalPilots) heard about us, and we became a program inside that organization. CalPilots is the parent of SCAPA, the South County Airport Pilots Association. After a couple of years, we incorporated as The California DART Network (CalDART), and after a couple more years, CalPilots spun us off into our independent 501(c)3 corporation, where we are presently today.

IF USA: IFU: How did you get involved with CalDART?

PM: I was at a regular SCAPA board meeting at the San Martin Airport in South County. I heard many of my peers talking about how they were of aid to people during the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake in San Francisco. It sounded like a wonderful opportunity to help those in need. I am an experienced pilot who has been in aviation for decades. It was a good opportunity to use my experience and passion to help others.

IF USA: IFU: What kinds of planes are flown in CalDART?

More than 500 volunteers collected 21,000 pounds of food and other essential supplies that were flown to people cut off by powerful snowstorms. (Photo courtesy of CalDART and AOPA)

PM: Our volunteer pilots in CalDART fly everything from GA planes like small Cessna 172s to small business ( I misspoke when I said regional) jets and helicopters. One jet in our fleet spends the summer in the Bahamas and the winter in Southern California. We recently added a bunch of helicopters. Helicopters are important because we can’t always land on a runway. They are important in emergency situations.

IF USA: IFU: Susan, how did you get involved in CalDART?

SNH: I had seen a social media post that there was interest in airlifting medical supplies and food up here to Lake Arrowhead. Hundreds of mountain volunteers pulled together through several landing zones and food distributions where residents could walk to, to fetch food and much needed supplies.

I have been flying in Southern California for more than 30 years. I fly coast to coast. My husband is a commercial and airshow pilot, Rob Harrison the Tumbling Bear.

IF USA: IFU: What has CalDART been doing to help the snowed-in people in the mountains of Southern California?

SNH: Many places here have at least five feet of snow. We have major snowdrift, and in front of our house, which is at the highest elevation in Lake Arrowhead, we had 12 feet of snow! We couldn’t get out of our house. We just had a narrow passageway in which we could go outside our front door. The roads were not cleared for 12 days, and some areas took longer. I knew many of my neighbors were in this position. Many of them are elderly or disabled, so I knew I had to help. That was when I coordinated with Paul at CalDART to get all the food and necessities needed up here, and I am proud to say that we did it.

IF USA: IFU: What other areas in the state have you assisted this year?

PM: We also helped Humboldt County earlier this year when they had a major earthquake. Many of their residents were unable to get necessities, so we helped the Episcopal Church move their disaster supplies into the region. We have helped other parts of the state through the rain and snowstorms, but most of our attention has been on the San Bernardino Mountains.

IF USA: IFU: How can a pilot or aviation enthusiast get involved in CalDART?

PM: If you go to CalDART.org, you can sign up as a member or a friend. You can also make a donation. Bear in mind, you do not have to be a pilot to join our organization. We need people to organize and facilitate, and anybody can do that.

IF USA: IFU: What does your organization need more than anything else right now?

PM: We need a little bit of everything, but most importantly, we need donations to stay afloat. We have an exercise coming up on May 13 throughout the state of California. Our goal is to send a pilot with a load of virtual disaster response supplies to an airport in every county in the state. With a month to go we already have people in 38 counties signed up. We’re going to local airports to meet with people, and we’re also hosting webinars to raise understanding of disaster response people and pilots on how to use general aviation in disasters.

IF USA: IFU: That sounds so important. When you hear about airports like Reid-Hillview closing, how do you feel about that?

PM: I think it is a major step backwards to get rid of airports. They are vital parts of our infrastructure that help in disasters and with our economy. It only takes a mile of land to make an airport runway, and with that, you can go anywhere in the world. When you are driving, it takes miles of roads to get anywhere. Airports are very useful transportation.

IF USA: IFU: Thank you! To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.caldart.org.