Flying for Good: Angel Flight Northeast

by Dave McCormick, former member

I had a chance encounter with club member Hal Gossard about 2 months ago that changed the way I look at flying. He told me about an organization called Angel Flight Northeast where pilots charitably donate their flying time and costs to transport patients and their families needing medical treatment whose financial resources would not otherwise allow them to receive care. About half the patients are children that are have cancer, other diseases, or are burn victims. Angel Flight Northeast organizes flights that generally range between Maine to New Jersey and western Pennsylvania and New York, though there are flights that range much further. They are associated with other regional Angel Flight organizations through Angel Flight America. There are about 700 pilots signed up with Angel Flight Northeast. Last year they flew 1800 missions for 400 patients; they typically are running 14 missions per day in the summer and 6 per day in the winter.

I am told that John Boutross has been flying missions for Angel Flight for a while (and is in a much better position to talk about them). You have to be IFR current, do a rigorous weight and balance before each flight, and get a signed release from liability from the passengers. You can pick up flights between airports you’ve never flown to before. I found that the Angel Flight process to be very professional and safety was their first priority. Even if you don’t decide to rent the plane, you could be a right-seat pilot to help going into high-workload places like Logan.

This is a way that you can make a real difference in someone’s life with your flying. It felt really rewarding to me. The whole operation is very professional and dedicated. If nothing else, Angel Flight brings some much-needed positive exposure to the general aviation world.

If this sparks your interest, contact John, Hal, or me. You can contact Angel Flight Northeast directly:

Angel Flight Northeast
(978) 794-6868
Email:  angelflight@angelflightne.org
http://www.angelflightne.org

If you have any questions about Angel Flights, please feel free to contact me.

David McCormick
dsmccormick@gmail.com

Web links cited in these notes
Angel Flight Northeast: http://www.angelflightne.org
Angel Flight America: http://www.angelflightamerica.org