Air Serv International

Air Serv International is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that uses aircraft to fly relief workers and supplies to help victims of disasters in some of the most remote and challenging areas in the world. It flies where other air carriers cannot, or will not, fly. It is headquartered in the United States of America, in Warrenton, Virginia [http://www.airserv.org/main.cfm?action=workingWithUs Air Serv Contact web page] retrieved 2007-11-01.] .

Organization

Air Serv was founded in 1984 in the state of Florida as a humanitarian 501 (c) 3 Charitable Organisation [http://www.airserv.org/main.cfm?action=newsroom&sub=article&art=29 Air Serv Press Release] announcing the commencement of Beech 1900C operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Retrieved 2007-11-01.] . In 1997 it set up a subsidiary for-profit company in Uganda, Air Serv Limited [ [http://charityreports.bbb.org/public/Report.aspx?CharityID=580 Report on Air Serv] retrieved 2007-11-01.] . In 2007 it also maintains offices in Afghanistan, Canada, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Jordan and Mozambique. Air Serv is affiliated with various charity umbrella organisations, including Independent Charities of America, InterAction and Do Unto Others [ [http://www.airserv.org/main.cfm?action=aboutUs Air Serv "About Us" web page] retrieved 2007-11-02.] .

Air Serv was active in Banda Aceh in the wake of the 2004 Tsunami and late in 2005 was involved in relief work following the Kashmir earthquake in Pakistan [ [http://www.airserv.org/Air%20Serv%20Annual%20Report%202005%20FINAL.pdf Air Serv 2005 Annual Report] retrieved 2007-11-02.] .

Equipment

Air Serv uses a variety of turboprop and piston engined aircraft as well as some leased or chartered helicopters and larger aircraft when required. As of November 2007 the fleet numbers 19 and includes:
*1 Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
*1 Beechcraft 1900C
*8 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
*2 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter [http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/nameSQL.asp?nametxt=air+serv&sort_option=5&cmndfind.x=13&cmndfind.y=8 US civil aircraft register search] using "Air Serv" as the search parameter. Search conducted 2007-11-01.]

Accidents and incidents

An Air Serv leased nineteen passenger Beechcraft 1900C crashed on 1 September 2008 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 15 km northwest of Bukavu [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7593405.stm "'No survivors' in DR Congo crash"] "BBC News" 2 September 2008] [Joe Bavier [http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL266824920080902?sp=true "Aid plane crashes in Congo, no sign of survivors"] "Reuters" 2 September 2008] carrying two crew and fifteen passengers. [ [http://www.airserv.org/main.cfm?action=newsroom&sub=article&art=50 Air Serv press release] ] [ [http://www.avionews.com/index.php?corpo=see_news_home.php&news_id=1093785&pagina_chiamante=corpo%3Dindex.php Avionews] ] [ [http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27892&Cr=democratic&Cr1=congo "Aid plane with 17 on board crashes in eastern DR Congo"] United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2 September 2008] [ [http://www.un.org/apps/newsFr/storyF.asp?NewsID=17199&Cr=RDC&Cr1=OCHA "RDC: Un avion humanitaire de l'ONU avec 17 personnes à bord s'écrase dans l'est"] (in French) United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2 September 2008] The aircraft, wet leased and flown by crew from South Africa's CEM Air, was approaching Bukavu following technical service at N'Dolo Airport, Kinshasa. [ [http://www.radiookapi.net/index.php?i=53&a=20151 "Crash d’avion près de Bukavu, 17 morts"] (in French) Radio Okapi, 2 September 2008]

References

External links

*http://www.airserv.org/ Official site