Check out the pictures of the destroyed aircraft.  Lots of insurance claims here besides the property damage ones.

https://www.axios.com/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-tornadoes-hit-florida

Noel

Awful thing to see.

those planes look like they would after a very serious crash landing

One of them has a "twisted tail..."

...obviously from a twister!

Well, I just (finally) got DISH installed here yesterday, just in time to not only watch the devastation of Ft. Myers Beach on Estero Island, but more poignantly, the destruction of my parent's former retirement home on the southern end of the island. They had sold it about thirty-eight years ago when they moved to Harlingen, TX. It was one of many that were briefly captured by a CCTV camera that was pointing in the right direction.

I also learned early this morning that a fifty-foot section of the Sanibel Island causeway was destroyed and leaves all the residents of the island isolated from the mainland for the foreseeable future. Any resupply of food and medicine as well as response to any medical emergencies will be restricted to boats. That's brutal!

Now that the sun is up over Florida, the extent of the damage to the gulf coast and central Florida is visible to everyone.  Looks bad.  There are also a good number of vintage aircraft located in Ian's path, Kermit Weeks' Fantasy of Flight being one of the larger collections.

Interesting that they didn't fly them out. In the USAF and other companies I fly with, we move the jets before the storm hits and return after it passes. 

Rick

21 hours ago, G550flyer said:

Interesting that they didn't fly them out. In the USAF and other companies I fly with, we move the jets before the storm hits and return after it passes. 

Rick

One potential reason was the track Ian took versus the track the forecast had it taking.  A lot of people fled to south Florida because the forecasts indicated that south Florida would be spared.  Ian proved the forecasters to be wrong.

49 minutes ago, stans said:

One potential reason was the track Ian took versus the track the forecast had it taking.  A lot of people fled to south Florida because the forecasts indicated that south Florida would be spared.  Ian proved the forecasters to be wrong.

Well, we would wait to depart until the storm was within 24 hours for that very reason. The plan was always to leave the region. When I was flying out of NJ and DC, we would fly to the Mid West when it was deemed necessary to fly out. Though very slow, hurricanes are unpredictable so you leave the region. Back in the Air Force, we had this one base commander who decided not to evacuate the aircraft at the last minute. It was crazy because the storm was still coming. You are looking at a movement of 30 to 80 aircraft. We were not on the coast, but the winds above 50 is where the damage starts to happen. Most gust locks and flight control dampening systems are only rated up to 50. We were all shocked when that decision was made. Well, multiple jets were damage by the winds and flying debris. He was removed from command shortly afterwards(fired). Looking back, we always looked at fly outs as a great time to party, but not so good with peeps with families left behind.

You always want to move your metal since aircraft are so expensive. If you plan to ride it out at home, you should at least pay someone to fly it inland.

The insurance agents phones must be ringing along about now.

8 hours ago, Fielder said:

The insurance agents phones must be ringing along about now.

Yep, and it is likely that all home owners will see their premiums go up and up.

My home is just shy of 5 miles inland of Ft. Myers Beach. Two kids with grandkids within 2 miles. All of us are shaken, but well. House survived for the most part. New roll down shutters installed 5 months ago really helped. Some neighbors not so lucky, but all 84 homes in our circle held. I was impressed the power came back on in about 50 hours. Irma took 10 days. Have a good genset. The news, for whatever reason, is not really reporting the totality of the situation. I have a good friend thats a sherrif. They expect the death toll to exceed 500 on Ft. Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva and Pine Island. Dogs, gators, bugs and other animals beginning to feed on the dead. There are still hundreds on those islands who survived not off yet. The only bridge onto Pine Island in Matlache is down. KRSW is closed. I75 for 2 miles up on the Peace River north of us is under 4 feet of water and if the very stressed dike inland let's go it will be 15. All the hospitals in Lee County are closed due to flooding. Our house sits under helicopter route to beach. Twin bladed chinooks, about one an hour each way, 24 hours a day over the house. Looting has started. Most traffic lights not working and people are just jerks bumper to bumper rather than circle feed across the intersections. Ambulance sirens non stop 24 hours a day. Neighbors helping neighbors. After 3 days, at 67, I feel like I have been beaten about the head and shoulders with a baseball bat. No internet. I took today off from outside, came in and flew my fake plane around to just take my mind off things for a while. No gas. Stores closed, although a few are starting to open with line a block or two long at 7am.  If you're so bent PLEASE say a prayer for both the victims, the completely clueless morons who would not follow evac orders, and the hero 1st responders. BTW, up until 33 hours before landfall we were told we were not in the cone and it was a Cat 3.  Never seen so many six figure salaried "professionals get things so wrong. The very worst scenario unfolded. My cellphone teathering has been the only link to the outside.

On 9/29/2022 at 7:47 AM, G550flyer said:

In the USAF and other companies I fly with, we move the jets before the storm hits and return after it passes.

At Homestead Air Force Base a few years ago they didn't bother to fly them back.  They just closed the base and assigned the squadrons to other bases.

Noel

You and your family survived that is what is important.

I'd been retired a year before that happened Fr Bill.  I've never been in a Hurricane or tornado.  I weather a couple of typhoons in Japan though.

Noel