Pilot Jackson Schulz ’25 Delivers Crucial Supplies to Hurricane Helene Victims
October 8, 2024
- Contact
- Mary Elizabeth DeAngelis
The devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene has affected students, faculty and staff whose families and friends were in harm’s way and the many Davidson College alumni who live in counties in the southeast that have been declared FEMA disaster areas. In an ongoing effort to share news of relief, rebuilding and research efforts that center on the affected communities, we will update this page with first-person accounts and stories about the students, faculty, staff and alumni providing aid to or living and working in these communities.
Support Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts
For more information about how you can support relief efforts, please visit this resource page.
Jackson Schulz ’25, earned his pilot’s license in February. Last week, his flight school, Race City Flight Operations at Lake Norman Airpark in Mooresville, opened as a donation center for hurricane relief supplies. People dropped donations off by air and road, and pilots like Schulz flew supplies to airports in Western North Carolina. They also helped with search and rescue missions and evacuations. Schulz, a psychology major from Lilburn, Georgia, shared this account of recovery efforts:
I’ve always loved flying out to Western North Carolina—it’s one of the most beautiful areas, and being in the air over those mountains has always been a special experience for me.
Seeing Helene’s destruction— not only in the news, but firsthand and from my coworkers’ flights—was a powerful motivator. I’ve always wanted to use my aviation skills to help people, and this disaster allowed me to do that.
We have been overwhelmed by the community’s generosity.
Last week, we flew supplies to airports in the region, including Banner Elk, Ashe County, Avery County, Asheville, and Hickory. We also conducted search and rescue and evacuation flights.
At one point, a plane in our search and rescue group spotted a flare. They relayed the position to a helicopter, which located and evacuated the person in distress. Another time, one of our planes was landing at Avery County’s airport when a helicopter pilot came over the radio, reporting they had a stranded pregnant woman who’d gone into labor. Thanks to the coordination between aircraft, they got her to safety and on the way to the nearest hospital.
The need is overwhelming. Many people have lost everything—basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. It’s heartbreaking. At the same time, it’s been incredible to see the response. Thousands of pilots, both airplane and helicopter, from across North Carolina and the eastern U.S. have volunteered to help.
On a flight to carry supplies to Avery County, I was astonished by the sheer number of planes and helicopters in the air. It was amazing to witness so many pilots flying in supplies, all working together to help those affected. I’ve been struck by the teamwork between pilots and local volunteers. It’s not just about flying supplies—it’s about working with people on the ground, coordinating with emergency responders, and ensuring that every effort counts toward saving lives.
This week, the majority of relief is being handled by military aircraft. Only pre-authorized pilots with specific time slots are allowed to fly supplies to the region. [According to the Federal Aviation Administration, air traffic in the region has increased 300% after the storm. The FAA regulates airspace to maintain safety.]
I’ve been coordinating with my flight school to sort out the changes in our efforts. We haven’t stopped accepting donations. This past Saturday alone, we collected 32,000 pounds of supplies. Although we’re no longer able to fly the relief efforts ourselves, we are transferring donations to the few general aviation pilots who obtained authorization, and are also loading supplies onto trucks that can now make it into Western North Carolina since some roads reopened.
I’m also working on setting up a GoFundMe with my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, and we’re hoping to get chapters at other schools involved, along with nearby alumni clubs. It’s another way we’re trying to provide as much help as possible to the affected areas.
I’m proud to be part of this operation, and I’m especially proud of the Davidson community for doing what it does best—coming together in the face of adversity to make a difference. Many organizations on campus are joining forces to provide crucial support to those in need, and it is incredible to see.
The support keeps growing, and I’m hopeful we can make a lasting impact on the recovery efforts.
