Black Hawk up: flying with heroes in the wake of Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene slammed onto the United States' eastern seaboard late September 26. Boosted by very warm surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, Helene struck the panhandle of Florida as a category 4 weather system - the strongest hurricane to hit mainland United States since 2005's Katrina, bringing excess rainfall, very high winds, and deadly storm surges.

Over the next 48 hours, Helene carved a path of destruction as it moved in a north-northeasterly direction heading across Georgia, crossing some areas of eastern Tennessee and southern Virginia, and slicing through vast swathes of western North and South Carolina. The storm front dropped torrential rain upon the mountainous terrain, sparking flash flooding that washed away infrastructure and homes alike. In a serendipitous stroke of bad luck, Helene's intense rainfall just happened to follow a 36 hour period of sustained rain in the Southern and Central Appalachian regions, leading to even worse flooding events. In the immediate aftermath, over 2 million people were left without power, and unfortunately, fatalities did occur.

Amidst this desolation, rescue efforts began once Helene's fury had dissipated. The combination of extremely high flood water levels, which had reached rooftop levels in some locations, and the rough, mountainous geography of many of the affected areas, meant that using roads and ground-based vehicles was completely out of the question, at least for some time. Instead, helicopters became the mainstay of rescue operations. Aircraft were airborne once safe to do so, airlifting stranded civilians out of flooded homes and delivering vital supplies to cut-off areas.

One of these aircraft is Black Betty. Owned by Input | Output's CEO Charles Hoskinson, Black Betty joined the post-Helene rescue operations across several states.

This is the story of Black Betty and its crew in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

A tale of bravery, heroism, and civic duty

The aircraft

Black Betty is a UH-60A+ Black Hawk model, the + sign denoting significant upgrades to its twin engines, avionics, and flight controls. Since rolling off the assembly line in the 1980s, this particular aircraft has seen six overseas deployments across different theaters, participating in operations such as Enduring Freedom and Desert Storm. Black Betty retired from active duty in 2017, when Hoskinson acquired it at auction and named it after Ram Jam's eponymous hit song of 1977. Charles modernized many of Betty's systems to current technological standards in February 2021. The aircraft is routinely used for firefighting missions.

Avery: a beautiful but treacherous region

Geographically, Avery County is a rural and mountainous region. The entire county sits within the confines of the Appalachian Mountain range. Avery's highest point, Grassy Ridge Bald, rises 6,165 feet above sea level. While spectacularly beautiful, the rough geography of the terrain regularly contributes to major flooding events due to torrents of water cascading down ridges and valleys. As the water rushes down, it violently churns the sodden earth and turns into deadly mudslides. This happened during Hurricane Camille in 1969 and again in 1992, during Hurricane Andrew.

Yet, Helene set new records of natural destruction in Avery's history. Between September 24 and September 27, the savagery of the weather system lashed the county with sustained winds of up to 75km/h and gusts of up to 110km/h. The wind knocked out electricity pylons and cell towers everywhere while heavy rainfall shorted transformers, knocking out power virtually countywide.

Assisting Avery's population

Boone County Airport - October 11, 2024 - 10:26am - Good visibility, no cloud cover

After flying in from Lincoln County Airport the day before, where they had delivered several generators, Black Betty now stands on the tarmac at Boone County Airport. The aircraft's sleek shape looms like a wraith in the pre-dawn light. The crew meets with local air traffic control, military members specifically deployed to support the relief efforts, and representatives from Samaritan's Purse to discuss the day's mission as the first rays of sunlight reflect on Betty's fuselage.

As Ram Jam and Slayer initiate the engine startup sequence and run through the pre-flight checklist, Black Betty's twin turboshaft engines roar to life and its four-bladed rotor slowly picks up speed until achieving max rpm. At this point, the blade tips move at 728 feet per second.

On this mission Ram Jam flies on the left (captain) seat and Slayer on the right (co-pilot). Bam Ba Lam fulfills the role of crew chief for this flight, clearing the aircraft while landing in tight LZs. The bird carries much needed emergency supplies, including bottled water, medical equipment, and four more generators intended for Burnsville Fire Department, a pre-designated relief hub in West Yancey County.

Having completed pre-flight checks, Slayer gently pulls on the collective to begin ascending. Betty obediently lifts off the ground. Slayer then operates the cyclic and the collective to turn the aircraft and pitch the nose down to gain forward motion. Betty begins flying towards Avery, about 92 miles away.

En route to the disaster zone

Slayer flies Betty at a cruise speed of around 170 mph and an altitude of 300-500 ft above ground level, adjusting for terrain. The landscape below has become gray and featureless, almost apocalyptic. Destroyed bridges are evident below, some washed away entirely after bodies of water swelled. Flooded properties, with the waterline almost reaching the rooftop in some cases were also on display below, along with downed cell towers and power lines, the severed wires snaking in floodwaters. The damage caused by Helene's fury is immense and it's everywhere, and this only highlights the urgency of today's relief mission.

Betty reaches Avery after just a few minutes of flying time.

Avery Airport hub - 10:51am

Avery County Airport, also known as Morrison Field, lies just 4 miles north of the town of Spruce Pine. The facility's single asphalt runway (17/35) has become a vital lifeline for local residents, as it sustained little to no storm damage. Both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters can land unhindered to deliver supplies and personnel.

The airport itself is a large-scale distribution center. Dedicated teams work tirelessly to sort through supplies and allocate resources to the worst affected areas. Avery Airport also provides much needed shelter to local residents, who in some cases may have lost everything. These people can come in and 'shop' free of charge for any items of first necessity. Diapers, medicines, water, and even fresh produce brought in by growers and farmers from elsewhere in the state. Teams of volunteers work around the clock to help those affected by the disaster.

Betty lands on the airstrip but keeps its rotor spinning at full speed, as Avery is only a quick stop. First responders and paramedics emerge from a makeshift medical tent set up nearby and hand the crew a list of badly needed medical supplies. Betty is soon airborne again, en route to Yancey County to deliver the generators and pick up the items requested by Avery's medical team.

Flight to Yancey

Betty flies on a southern heading roughly following what had once been Highway 19. Most of the road surface is now gone, washed away during the peak of the storm.

Along the way, the crew witnesses some of the most horrific effects of Helene's wrath. Avery County's geography, dotted with narrow river valleys and gorges that funnel and strengthen water surges, has magnified the damage inflicted on these mountain communities. A picture of desolation is everywhere, but also of human endurance and resilience. The crew spots teams of local folk building pontoon bridges across water bodies to facilitate the delivery of supplies.

Landing at Burnsville Fire Department - 11:14am

Many residents at Yancey and Mitchell Counties have become stranded in the wake of Helene. Main roads, such as Highway 19, no longer exist. Other roadways are either damaged or impassable altogether. Yet, many of these folks may still need medical attention due to chronic conditions or storm-related injuries. Medevac aircraft have ferried some of these people to an all-volunteer field hospital set up right next to Burnsville Fire Department.

Carefully avoiding some power lines that ran along Betty's flight path. Bam ba Lam leans out the window to ensure the rotor has fully cleared the treacherous wires before the aircraft can land safely at a large open field nearby and deliver the generators.

Forward LZ base at Swannanoa - 12:34pm

The next leg of today's mission involves flying to an LZ in Swannanoa, a designated area prepared right next to a local Harley Davidson dealership. Here, locals have established a large distribution center where a large fleet of 35 helos has been flying in and out for several days, ferrying supplies around the stricken areas. Road clearing crews and cadaver dog teams also operate out of Swannanoa. While at this forward base, Betty's crew links up with local medical teams to procure the items requested by Avery's paramedics. Betty's crew would pick up the vital medical supplies the next day and ferry them back to Avery.

‘The joy on their faces’

While Helene wreaked havoc across North Carolina and elsewhere, there are still some heartwarming stories arising from the crew's relief and rescue efforts. While Betty was on the ground at some of the LZs, families with children approached the aircraft to express their gratitude for the supplies and the crew's work. Some of the children would climb aboard Betty and look around with joy on their faces at the aircraft's structure while marveling at the fact of being inside such a cool machine, despite the tragic circumstances.

Supplies delivered

The tally of supplies delivered as of October 11:

• 36 large generators
• Seven tons of water, food, and medical & miscellaneous supplies.
• Starlink equipment to restore communications, in collaboration with World Mobile delivered to multiple areas.

Mission ends

After fulfilling their mission, Betty and the crew flew westwards to their homebase in Wyoming on October 15, arriving two days later.

We’re proud of the courageous work carried out by Sam, Mark, Cory, Alton, and Craig. You can see the team in action on Fox News. On behalf of everyone here at IO, our hearts go out to everyone who has been left devastated by the effects of recent hurricanes.

If you’re looking for ways to help, you can donate to the American Red Cross, among other organizations that are committed to addressing the immediate needs caused by this natural disaster.