Puerto Rico Aviation

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puerto rico aviation “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return”-Leonardo Da Vinci.

Man’s fascination with flying is one of the common bonds universally shared. Men and women all around the globe take to the skies on a daily bases to commute, work or simply to enjoy what Da Vinci once called “the magnificent view from atop”. This powerful ‘addiction’ to such incredible adventure is the driving force behind the booming recreational flying industry, one of the few platforms not deeply affected by the world-wide economic depression.

As in many places, recreational flying spearheads a great deal of interest in the small Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Located just a few hundred miles out of Miami. Puerto Rico, a United States territory since 1898, is a hot bed for aviation enthusiast trying to build their own enterprises.

One such man is Greg Bettis, a Texas-born pilot who has made this tropical island his home. “I was flying out of Texas and Massachusets before moving to the Caribbean. It’s has been an incredible experience working here as flying is becoming an important aspect of the Puerto Rican life style”, said the young entrepreneur. The sector Bettis talks about is panoramic flying, a source of recreational flight that takes the passengers along sightseeing trips.

Bettis, who took of the art of flying in 1999, began his career as a panoramic pilot in 2004 running charters for one of the biggest recreational outfits on the island. Two years later he founded Vertical Solutions, a small, two man operation which is primed for bigger things as the 2010 Centro American and Caribbean Games will be held on Puerto Rico’s western coast. “The Games will be a very significant opportunity for us. We are coordinating to shuttle VIPs as well as regular personnel and even cargo, if the need arises, to and from Mayaguez (the city where the majority of the events will be celebrated)”, added the thirty-something cowboy turned beach tourist.

There’s nothing like seeing a city from 4,000 feet above, especially if it’s at night! Or watching the venerable El Morro Fort, one of the oldest edifications in the New World, and imagining the history surrounding its massive walls. For the nature lover there’s a trip to El Yunque, the US only tropical rain forest, and the Central Mountains, a curvedly looking region situated in the middle of the island. If you are a beach lover, then luck is in your side. Puerto Rico’s beaches are usually ranked near the top as their beauty is unparallel in the region. Whatever is your craving, Bettis and his staff will be more than willing to satisfy it.

“We slowly are changing the thinking. If you want to make it quick to a point, fly an airplane. But if your goal is sightseeing, a helicopter is your ticket”. Solutions had on its inventory three helicopters, one Robinson R-22 and two R-44s. The R-22, designed in the early 1970s, is only used for training as it only sits two people. The bigger one, it accommodates four people comfortably, and the more complex R-44 is used to transport personnel and cargo across the small country.

Right across Solutions lays another small transportation company. Founded ten years ago. Flight Training, Inc. is more than a sightseeing venture. With three fixed wing aircraft at its disposal, Training looks more the part of a small airline than a panoramic outfit. With two Cessna 172SP and one Cessna 150, the company is ready to make its mark in an ever competitive market. Still, this is a panoramic industry and Training is seen its piece of the pie get bigger and bigger by the month.

Accordingly to local Ports Authority officials, every month more than 100 panoramic flight plans are filed. That’s an increase of 25 percent compared to last year’s (2008) totals. It also marks the third time in the last five years the figure has increased in double digits, a clear sign that this industry is booming in the island. “The industry does not feel, up to date, the effects of this dire recession”, said Robert Gonzalez, aviation liaison for the Puerto Rican Tourism Company.

“We haven’t experienced a sharp drop on our panoramic trips, yet”, stated Dynah Negron, Training’s executive secretary. But even if they encounter one, Training, as well as Solution and all the rest of the units operating out of the Isla Grande Regional Airport in San Juan are well situated to expand to another, largely untapped sector: flight training. Official Ports Authority numbers for Puerto Rico shows that almost 15 new flying aficionados applied for flight training every month, an increase of just 5 percent, but one that has maintained a steady pace since 2002.

Both companies are gearing up to training would-be pilots with aggressive campaigns. Even if they succeed in enticing more enthusiasts to their pilot training courses, panoramic flying still will be the bulk of their business for the foreseeable future. And why not? Where else would they live Da Vinci’s dream if not in the air?

An article by Raul Colon: rcolonfrias@yahoo.com