Bald Head Island pilot receives volunteer pilot award
Press Release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2025
At the organization’s annual gathering this month, Bald Head Island pilot Doug Oakley was honored with the SouthWings Above and Beyond Award.
SouthWings is a non profit organization that connects volunteer pilots with environmental initiatives that would benefit from a birds-eye-view. Oakley is one of 78 volunteer pilots stationed across the Southeastern US.
The SouthWings Above and Beyond Award recognizes a pilot who exemplifies the volunteer spirit of SouthWings through his or her dedication to all aspects of the organization, outside of just flying.
Doug frequently assists SouthWings staff in volunteer pilot recruitment efforts and was the featured volunteer pilot on two “Get to Know SouthWings” webinars where he shared the pilot’s perspective on being part of the organization. His enthusiasm for SouthWings is contagious and makes him one of SouthWings’ strongest advocates. On multiple occasions, Doug has addressed the entire volunteer pilot corps to invite them to events and encourage them in the charitable work they are doing as members of the SouthWings team.
Doug joined SouthWings as a volunteer pilot in 2012 and since that time he has completed 35 flights carrying a total of 58 passengers and racking up 47+ hours of flying time. He has worked with SouthWings partners on a wide range of issues from watershed and wetland protection to environmental justice issues to holding polluters accountable. He has flown grassroots organizations, journalists, university students and more.
Oakley frequently supports Cape Fear River Watch, and other Waterkeeper organizations across the state. The aerial perspective is unmatched when trying to understand the connectedness of the landscape and impacts to our waterways. The aerial imagery gained on flights with Oakley help document pollution concerns, provide transparency to various industrial and development projects, and inspire advocates and decisionmakers.
For Doug and Jane Oakley, full-time residents of Bald Head Island, NC, it’s all about a commitment to core values. Their dedication to preserving the environment comes through the moment you meet them. When Doug is not assisting customers as a real estate agent on Bald Head, you’re likely to see him flying overhead taking pictures. As long-time sailors, both Doug and Jane, who is the retired Executive Director of the Old Baldy Foundation, have seen the effects of our impact on the oceans and backwaters. The couple is also active flying for Pilots N Paws on animal rescue missions and has worked with the Bald Head Island Conservancy to develop a non-lethal deer management program.
“Word of mouth is always the best way to bring new volunteers into the organization, and hearing Doug pitch SouthWings to other pilots is so heartfelt that I would sign up if I was a pilot myself,” says SouthWings Director of Volunteer Pilot Engagement, Chelsea Easter. “Not to mention all of the coastal North Carolina partners that he has helped over the years protect their communities from environmental threats; his impact truly cannot be overstated.”
SouthWings is a non-profit conservation organization that provides a network of volunteer pilots to advocate for the restoration and protection of ecosystems across the Southeast through flight. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, SouthWings operates in 16 states in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations to enhance the work of the conservation and environmental justice movements through aerial perspectives.
SouthWings partners with conservation groups, community groups, media, and decision-makers to provide a unique perspective to better understand and solve pressing environmental issues in the Southeast. All flights are free of charge to the flight partner thanks to the generosity of the volunteer pilots, granting foundations, and individual donors.
To learn more about SouthWings, visit www.southwings.org.
