Widespread devastation from Tropical Storm Helene stretched over 500 miles inland from the Florida coast, with near-record storm surges, catastrophic flooding, blocked roads, damaged bridges and powerful winds leaving communities across multiple states reeling. The storm’s immense size and speed turned streams and rivers into raging torrents, cutting off entire towns and making traditional ground transportation ineffective. Nearly 4 million people in nine states lost power, and rural areas were hit especially hard.
In North Carolina alone, 28 of the 40 counties under major disaster declarations met the NC Rural Center’s definition of rural, with an average population density of 250 people per square mile or less. These isolated communities, often the hardest to reach and most in need of aid, faced significant barriers to recovery. In these moments, general aviation and regional airports proved invaluable, enabling the swift delivery of essential supplies and critical care to areas cut off by storm damage.
