February 2007 - American Bonanza Society

Convention when I stopped at an AngelFlight booth. That was just what I waslooking for to give something backwhile sharing my love of flight.Eventually, I also signed up withAirLifeline (which eventually mergedwith Angel Flight) and lifeline Pilots.The A36 is a perfect plane forAngel Flight missions. It is an easy stepup into that great club seating in theback and it carries a respectable load.Here is an example of how I was able tocombine two mi sions into one:Emily, a little girl from Erie,Pennsylvania, was born with a deformedsku ll. She and her mother have to travelto Chicago monthly so the doctors canadjust the skull brace she has to wear. Iwas able to fly several of these missions,either to or from Chicago.On the day of one of these missionstaking Emily back to Erie, there wasalso a mission taking a young boy fromPeoria to the Cleveland Clinic for hismonthly checkup after having openheartsurgery. With the A36 it was aneasy and comfortable trip to take themboth at the same time.Another memorable trip was withElias, who had severe combi nedimmunodeficiency. His immune systemwas essentially shut down. He livedwith his parents in a small town north ofMinneapolis and had to travel monthlyto Cincinnati. Because of his affliction,he couldn't travel on the airlines, sothey had to drive. This was very hard onElias as well as his famil y. Then theyheard about our service and what hadbecome a dreaded ordeal became anexciting series of flights for this greatyoung man.In addition to medical flights wealso do Compassion Flights, which mayconsist of getting family members whoneed to travel for periodic hospital visitsto a family member, or taking membersof the Armed Forces home to smalltowns not served by the airlines.Compassion Flights flew more than1,000 missions to help Katrina victims.One that I flew was very unusual. Agroup in Milwaukee decided they want-An investment banker and friends from the Milwaukee area loaded five trucks with building supplies and drovethem to Mississippi.After they helped set-up a company to build and rebuild homes, they left everything there,trucks and all. lifeline pilots flew them back home.ed to do something to help. They boughtfive old trucks, loaded them with buildingsupplies and drove them toMississippi. When they got there, theyset up a home construction company oflocal craftsmen-earpenters, plumbers,electricians-and gave them everythingthey brought, including the trucks. Thenthey had to get home.One of the men was a lifeline pilotso he knew how to get home. I took fourpassengers and two other pilots tookthree apiece. These were all big guys, sowhile I made the trip down there nonstoploaded with paper goods, the trip homerequired a fuel stop. The A36 handled thefive of us very comfortably.Angel Flight (NGF) and CompassionFlights (CMF) are always treatedpreferentially by ATC and we oftenget comments from controllers like,"We really appreciate what you guys(gals) do."EDITORS NOTE: The author melltionsCompassion Flights for milital}'and veterans. The Veterans AirliftCommand is anotlter tlOnfJlVjit organizationthat arranges and fJlVvides freeair transportation to bring familymembers to wounded veterans, providesveteralls transportation 10 and frommedical facilities alld provides relatedcompassioll-jlight assistance. For morein/ormatioll, call 952-582-2911 or visitwww.velerallsairiijt.org. @PASSENGER QUALIFICATIONS:• Musl be ambulalory. able to climb inand out of a light plane. and be able tosit uptighl for 2 to 5 hours.• Must be able to fly in a nonptessurizedairptane.• Have a medical or humanitarian needfor from home.• Must be consideted outpatients andbring along any necessary healthcareassistance.• Thete are baggage limitations.• Must show financial need.-Be witling to sign a liability release fOtmand provide a photo ID.PILOT QUALIFICATIONS:• Must provide proof he/she is properlylicensed and certified by the FAA.• Must agtee to abide by all applicableFAA regulations.• Must own or have access to on aircraft.• The aircraft must be airworthy. asdefined by FAA regulations.• Must have logged a minimum of 200hours as pilot in command.• Must ptovide information regarding anyoccident or FAA enforcement history.• Must ptovide ptoof of insurance.• An instrument rating is desired but notrequired .• Pitots are not allowed to accept anyreimbursement for theit costs.ANGEL FLIGHT CENTRALPhone 800-474-9464e-mail: wings@angelfllghtcentral.argWebsite www.angelflightcentral.otgLIFELINE PILOTSPhone 800-822-7972e-mail: mlssions@lIfetinepilots.orgWebsite: www.tifeline pitots.orgABS February 2007www.bonanzo.orgPage 10077