MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Angel Flight : Air Givers

For people with serious medical problems, the logistics and expense of getting to and from specialized treatment facilities can be a hardship. Angel Flight, a Santa Monica-based nonprofit organization, provides free non-emergency air transportation for those who cannot travel by other means due to their condition or finances. Its volunteer corps of 450 FAA-licensed pilots donate flying time, loan or rent aircraft and pay for fuel and other flight expenses; another 100 other volunteers serve as mission coordinators and co-pilots.

Donations cover the annual $200,000 cost needed to pay for mission coordination, recruiting and screening pilots, working with hospitals and managing the office. What began in 1984 as a group of pilots who wanted to combine their love of flying with community service has become one of the country’s largest public benefit flying organizations completing more than 650 missions last year.

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Angel Flight: MISSION LOG

Expenses: Pilots donate from $100 to $2,000 worth of fuel, liability insurance, landing and tiedown fees for each flight; their tax-deductible donations add up to about $300,000 annually.

Passengers: Trips include patient en route for chemotherapy, surgery, organ transplants or specialized diagnostic testing and a friend or family member.

Medical cargo and related transports: These may be blood, organs, corneas and other tissue, guide dogs for the blind

Aircraft: Planes include single engine or twin engine propeller-driven models to pressurized, cabin class aircraft. Service area: California and portions of Nevada, Arizona, Oregon

How It Works

1. Referral: Staff at hospitals, health care agencies and tissue banks contact Angel Flight on behalf of patients. Last year more than 60 agencies relied air transport service.

2. Coordination: Mission coordination director receives 80 to 120 travel requests each month, resulting in 40 to 100 missions. Passengers and agencies are asked to have backup transportation plans in case of bad weather or mechnical problems.

3. Transport: A volunteer pilot, and where possible, a co-pilot fly passenger to destination airport. Passengers must be able to get in and out of the plane and sit upright during the flight. Pilots do not give medical aid.

TWO VIEWS

From the Pilot’s Seat: Joe Biviano

Home: Palmdale

Flight History: Biviano has flown for more than 30 years including airtime as a U.S. Navy attack pilot. He has flown 40 missions for the organization.

” When I come back from a mission I feel like I’ve done something really good. It’s such an uplifting experience. There have been unintended benefits, too. I met my wife here; she’s a volunteer flight coordinator. We got married a few weeks ago.”

From the Passenger’s Seat: Sally O’Connell

Home: Fair Oaks, east of Sacramento

Flight History: She has flown with Angel Flight 10 times for cancer treatments at UCLA since 1991.

“I couldn’t live without them. They treat me like a queen. They are such a comfort. It can be mind boggling to fly commercially because when you’re not feeling well. And there are the expenses that can add up with flight cancellations and changes you make because of treatment and appointments. The Angel Flight people care so much about their passengers. They’re in my prayers.”

TO GET INVOLVED

Call (310) 390-2958.