From PNP Pilot Blake Fleming:

11 puppies, 1 dog, 4 pilots, 4 airplanes, and countless people on the ground pulling together to make this happen.

Puppie Cargo!

The morning started early.  The first pilot, Keith Boone, invited me to co-pilot with him down to Cuthbert, GA to pick up the 9 puppies and their momma.  The takeoff was delayed due to low ceilings at destination and we were about an hour late taking off.  Since we were late landing at Cuthbert we missed a welcoming party that included the mayor, city council and sheriff.  We could not get a cell signal there and after waiting a little while Keith took off to fly over the nearest city to get cell coverage and make a phone call.  A little while later the puppies arrived in a laundry basket.  We loaded them into Keith’s plane & were back in the air quickly.

Basket full of puppy breath!

When we landed back at Gwinnett County Doris and company were waiting on us with 2 more puppies.  We made a quick transition from Keith’s plane over to mine with the 9 puppies and momma into my baggage compartment and tethered the other 2 puppies in my back seat with my daughter.

So cute!

How about a nice nap?

  We took off and had a nice 2-hour flight all the way to Danville, VA.  We knew there was a major storm front making its way across TN and KY so we wasted no time.  My son Evan co-piloted for me helping with the radios and navigation.

Evan as co-pilot with his assistant!

Puppy volunteer

When we landed in Danville Ron was already there in his Grumman Tiger and Mel was in the traffic pattern in his Cessna.  We made a quick exchange of puppies and accessories and we were all back in the air again. Mel and Ron were headed to MD with the dogs and we were headed home. 

Pilots N Pups, we have a new name!

By now that major storm system was making its way into NC and we were forced to divert east of Charlotte in an attempt to fly around it.  After about and hour or so it because obvious that we would not be able to out fly this system and we put down near Columbia, SC at Lexington County Airport.  I got the plane tied down just in time and the storm system hit the area hard.
 
I was able to get a room at a Ramada Inn about 10 miles away.  We called a cab company and after a few minutes on the phone was finally able to convince them that I was NOT at the Columbia airport but at the small Lexington County airport. A short cab ride, with a stop at Wal-Mart for a few necessities, and we were at the hotel.  We walked across the street for dinner at McDonalds.  Sunday morning arrived and I got to celebrate Father’s day with both kids in SC.  We had a nice breakfast and took a cab back to the airport.  The weather was perfect and we fueled up and were back in the air with no problems at all.

Off we go!

We landed safely back at Gwinnett County airport around lunch time Sunday and other than being a little tired and the airplane smelling a little bit like puppies, everyone was doing well and we were all happy to have played a part in the rescue of 11 puppies and a momma dog.  I appreciate everyone’s efforts to pull this together.  I know it was a lot of work.  I heard Mel had to overnight as well with two puppies but was glad to hear he arrived home today safely too.
  
Thanks again!
 
Blake Fleming