I just listened to an interesting and frustrating story on NPR about how there’s a massive bottleneck at Haiti’s barely functioning, one-runway airport. At the end of the piece, the reporter said how other routes are even worse. The roads in from the Dominican Republic are a mess and the port is in ruins. So they’re forced to make do with the airport, now run by the U.S. military. Here’s a similar story at the BBC.

What she didn’t mention was the possibility of air-dropping supplies. My understanding of these sorts of things is you can’t do a Berlin-style drop, because you’ll have riots and people charging into dangerous areas. But why can’t the Marines or someone set up a station sufficiently away from the airport to alleviate air traffic and have C-130s drop pallets of supplies. Doesn’t the air force have this pretty much down to a science? Obviously you can’t ask all of the rescue personnel to parachute into Haiti. But dropping tents, water, etc. would alleviate some of the congestion, wouldn’t it?

Maybe they’re doing this already, and I’ve missed it. Or maybe there are all sorts of factors I’m ignorant of (contrary to persistent Internet rumors, I’m not an expert in the logistics of supply for disaster areas). Maybe my airpower guy will drop me a line.

Update: Well, there you go. From a reader:

Jonah –
FWIW, the general in charge at the airport just told Kerry Sanders of NBC that the advance elements of the 82nd Airborne were out setting up Landing Zones around the capital; he wouldn’t promise they’d be helo-ing or airdropping by noon, but i’ll bet it will happen by then, at least before dark. They’ve just got to figure out flight paths, clear safe LZ perimeters (overhead cables and such), and get markings down. Then they’ll roll — a little hope.