Angel Flight Pilot

[PTK]

I'd like to become a pilot member of Angel Flight and have a couple questions to people who are familiar with it.

First on liability considerations. I have read the liability waiver the patients sign. Does the pilot have any liability beyond that point?

And overall how does the program work?

[jnisley]

I'm with Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic, they are located in Virginia, go to their website and click on PILOTS, most questions are answered there.

Also, any other questions you might have can be answered by MaryJane Sablan, she's the best!

MaryJane Sablan

Flight Operations | Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic

TEL: 800-296-3797x209 | mj@angel-flight.org

www.angelflightmidatlantic.org

[jnisley]

Here's a screen shot I just took of some of their upcoming trips to give you an idea of what trips they do. Some of these trips involve other Angel Flight organizations such as Northeast and Central coordinating together.

[201er]

Sure patients sign a waiver and you have insurance. But if you get into a horrendous accident with survivors, they'll probably sue you anyway. Just don't do anything stupid and you should be able to stay pretty liability free.

[bnicolette]

Peter make sure to check out PALS also. Both are great organizations with a great cause. Its a great way to give back. I'm going to do a compassion flight on 7/20 to take 4 kids and a parent to Maine for camp sunshine. I can't wait!! Good for you getting involved. PALS will reimburse you for part of your fuel if you take a training course and do more than 2 medical flights per year. Please check them out. Let me know if you have any questions.

[jetdriven]

The patient waives his rights to sue with the waiver, but a good lawyer can probably get around that. What the patient cannot sign away is the rights of his bereaved family to sue, and they probably will.  At any rate, Angel Flight is well protected.

[Danb]

I'm an Angel Flight East pilot..you may be located in our area basically out of Wings..Brett thanx for the Pals suggestion...you can get most of the info. You need on Angelflighteast website, great reason to fly. On another front when utilizing your airplane for charitable purposes make sure to ascertain all your allowable tax deductions of which there are many. Consult your tax advisor, your deduction in full will most likely off set your economic outlay...

[jnisley]

Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic (and I'm assuming the other regions) also have a "Fuel Reimbursement Program" that I never took advantage of. There are additional requrements to meet under FAA Exemption No. 10009A, such as having a 2nd class medical certificate.

[phecksel]

There are some provisions that you can't be sued for providing aid.  It's a weak protection, but you know what, I didn't care.  I got a LOT of satisfaction over doing the flights, and some of the best things that happened to me happened after doing flights.  Also, one of my all time fav flight memories occured on a flight home after dropping off a patient.  These are people that typically require specialized health care and either can't afford the transportation, or there are unique health situations that literally force them into GA.

 

Just do it!

[Bob - S50]

Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic (and I'm assuming the other regions) also have a "Fuel Reimbursement Program" that I never took advantage of. There are additional requrements to meet under FAA Exemption No. 10009A, such as having a 2nd class medical certificate.

I know for Angel Flight West, Phillips has a rebate program and I assume it is available for others as well.  Get a Phillips gas card, buy gas from a Phillips FBO, then fill out a form and mail it in.  Supposedly, within a couple months a $1/gallon rebate will show up on your bill for that purchase.  I have not yet had a chance to fill up at a Phillips FBO, but I have everything I need to take advantage of it.

 

Bob

[KSMooniac]

I too fly for Angel Flight (Central) as well as Veteran's Airlift Command (VAC).  AFC has the waiver, along with requirements such as >500 hrs TT, instrument rating, etc.  There was an orientation when I joined, as well as some local wing meetings that I participated in but they've kinda disappeared.  I used to do 5-6 per year but have slacked-off in the last couple years due to other time commitments and workload.  

 

Generally we find flights on a web server that is login-protected, and sometime via email blast to members.  If they're having trouble filling a flight that is coming up quickly, they'll also call directly, although I believe I could opt out of such contact.  It isn't intrusive at all.

 

I don't believe the liability waiver will protect me, but I do it anyway.  i don't do stupid crap, and I believe that sometimes you just have to live your life and help others when you can.  I keep my plane in tip-top shape, and after I get my new engine finished/broken-in and my confidence level in it back up I'll resume voluntary flights.  

 

I've done ~ 18 AFC flights so far, and only one of those was questionable and made me think twice about the service...I flew a husband and wife back home after the husband had neck surgery.  They were nice folks and appreciative, but they were free-loaders living off gov't cheese completely due to their poor life choices IMO.  The husband was "brawler" in a past life and had chronic injuries (duh) so he was on disability, and his wife was on disability as well for no apparent reason.  The husband played a lot of video games and told me all about them.  :/   Both were physically capable of working.  Oh well.  The rest of the flights were quite rewarding, and my favorite was taking a female pancreatic cancer patient to treatment down in Tulsa.  I expected the worst when I took that mission since that disease is so difficult and deadly, but she couldn't have been more ALIVE and upbeat!  I really enjoyed talking with her during the flight and learning all about the Cancer Treatment Center in Tulsa and how much success they've had battling pancreatic cancer... I thought it was a quick death sentence but they've got many 5+ year survivors now.  

 

Just do it!  You'll enjoy helping folks, and it is another great reason to use your Mooney.

[phecksel]

I've done ~ 18 AFC flights so far, and only one of those was questionable and made me think twice about the service...I flew a husband and wife back home after the husband had neck surgery. 

And 17 people that really needed the aid were very appreciative of your support and service you provided.

 

Report that back to the agency, although I'd bet they met all the criteria for the flights.  I had one person that clearly didn't need the service, and took advantage of our generosity.  I reported it back and they were put on a black list and an additional screening requirement was added.

[Guitarmaster]

I applied to do this about three months ago and have heard nothing. How long does it take for them to get back to you?

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[jdrake]

Late to the conversation here but I've been flying with Angel Flight East for several years now (http://www.angelflighteast.org/).  They're based at Wings field and many of their missions are to/from KPNE.

 

Very organized and responsive team in the office which makes the operations SO much easier.  I'm based in Trenton and would be happy to have you along on a flight if interested.  Just PM me.

[KSMooniac]

I applied to do this about three months ago and have heard nothing. How long does it take for them to get back to you?

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Each region/organization is different, but I can't imagine that it should take that long.  You should call their office and see if your application got lost.

[Guitarmaster]

OK. Will do.

[PTK]

I received a return call today from the pilot administrator at Angel Flight.

It is with great excitement that I have prepared my application package to Angel Flight! Will put it in the mail tomorrow.

I can't wait to become an Angel Flight Pilot!

[KSMooniac]

I'm not sure what the orientation process will be like for that chapter, but hopefully it includes a presentation about charity flying and keeping the right frame of mind to prevent risk-taking (in terms of weather especially) to complete a mission.  I think AOPA created the presentation, but I cannot remember now.  Avoiding self-induced pressure to get a patient to treatment can be a difficult scenario.

 

You'll love it.  We are in a very unique position to help people that really need it, and you get to see it first hand as opposed to sending a check off to some charity.

[aviatoreb]

I'm not sure what the orientation process will be like for that chapter, but hopefully it includes a presentation about charity flying and keeping the right frame of mind to prevent risk-taking (in terms of weather especially) to complete a mission.  I think AOPA created the presentation, but I cannot remember now.  Avoiding self-induced pressure to get a patient to treatment can be a difficult scenario.

 

You'll love it.  We are in a very unique position to help people that really need it, and you get to see it first hand as opposed to sending a check off to some charity.

 

That very pressure made me hesitate and delay following up on Angel Flights for now.  I decided to wait until I complete my commercial for the time being? (Check ride in August my CFI suggests to me now).

So for the time being ( a year now ) I have been flying doggies - Pilots n paws - I figure the pups will be less pressure to get them there on time.

[jnisley]

I've done around forty Angel Flight missions since I became an AF pilot, I've never felt pressured by my AF coordinator or my passengers or other pilots (on multi-leg trips) to conduct a flight, on initial contact with my passengers I make it very clear that weather is a very big deal in aviation, I explain to them what my normal procedures are in making go-no go decisions.

Say the trip is scheduled for a Monday, I tell them that I will look at the extended forecast on Saturday, take a closer look on Sunday evening but the final decision will not be made until Monday morning, if they can live with that fine, if not, they need to find another way.

When working with other pilots I let them know early on what my personal minimums are.

In all those flights, I've never had a passenger or other pilot that gave me trouble, just the opposite, I've met many wonderful people.

[PTK]

Exciting news!

I received an email today from the Angel Flight Pilot Administrator.

I'm officially an Angel Flight Pilot!

After an orientation process, which we'll complete within the next couple of weeks, I'll be offering my flying services to patients and their familes!

I'm really excited! It's a very rewarding feeling to be able to give back to some of our less fortunate fellow human beings around us who really need this specialized help in order to access medical care.

[jnisley]

Great!

I remember my first AF mission, my passenger had lost everything he owned in the 2008 Cedar Rapids flood and needed transportation to be with family on the east coast.

[PTK]

I completed the orientation today.

Officially an Angel Flight NE Pilot!

Really exciting!

[Marauder]

Nice to hear Peter. Wonder how the Angel Flight group feels about having the Devil doing the flying? Fly safe!

[bnicolette]

Congratulations Peter. Pay no attention to Chris. Our rewards come later!!