Despite a damaged island infrastructure and transportation problems caused by the recent earthquake in Hawaii, Global Link Productions was able to get a flypack to the scene in Kona, Hawaii within hours after getting a call from CBS.
Dan Makinster, Global Link Productions president got the call shortly after noon PDT on Sunday, Oct. 15 to head for Hawaii as soon as possible.
"We immediately started checking on the logistics of getting one of our flyways from San Jose, California to Hawaii as quickly as possible," said Makinster. "I booked a flight leaving in just 3-1/2 hours, loaded one of our two flyaway systems into a van, and headed for SFO."
Makinster found that virtually all U.S. flights to Oahu and Kona were cancelled due to possible runway damage and lack of power for navigational and communication systems there.
Global did find a local airline that could get equipment into Maui, and after landing there around noon local time on Oct. 16, was able to get to Kona were on the air live in less than 90 minutes. CBS was able to air live coverage from the earthquake zone while other news operations were having to rely on the ferrying of tapes or sending delayed clips via the Internet.
Makinster said that his company's flypack system was able to support both CBS requirements those of local U.S. stations for live coverage for three days following the earthquake.
