Angel Flight

Are you an Angel Flight pilot?

  • I am a current Angel Flight pilot (fly at least 1 mission/year)

    Votes: 24 26.4%

  • I used to do Angel Flights, but am not currently doing so.

    Votes: 11 12.1%

  • I've thought about it... sounds like something I'd like to do.

    Votes: 56 61.5%

  • Forget about it... too much risk/time/money/whatever.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    91
AdamZ said:
Jim, When I sat Right seat with by buddy on AF for AFeast We did KOLM to KBOS and KLOM to KBED. We just missed getting a flight to Pittsburgh. The flight to KBOS was a hoot. We were in a Seneca II put behind a 767. WOW! funniest thing was when Boston Approach asked if we had traffic in sight. Yeah!!! It was like flying behind the Empire state building with Wings. Glad it was VFR b/c we could stay high on the ILS to avoid his wake turbulence.
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I'm hopeful for these sorts of flights when I get the time in to sign up. I would likely never go into KBOS on my own, no reason really. This will give me a really good reason to go.

Jim G
 
grattonja said:
Angel Flight East has an adamant 300 hour policy, at least that is my understanding. I am in the same boat as Adam Z, waiting to get there. I am at 270 plus now, so soon. My next flying goal is 300 so that I can do Angelflight. Sometimes, it is hard to justify that $100 per hour for the plane just to go cut holes in the clouds. I figure Angelflight will take care of any justification that I will ever need. Plus, it will take me to airports that I might not otherwise go to.

Anyone on the board with Angel Flight East? What sort of missions, distance wise, are you all doing?
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Jim, Angel Flight Northeast (AFNE), or Angel Flight mid-Atlantic (AFMA)? You and I live in the one state shared by both and I belong to both. AFNE flights from our region (flights you and I would take) are typically to either Pittsburgh (AGC) or to Boston (BOS or BED). AFMA flights are usually Baltimore or Chapel Hill/Raleigh. At least that has been my experience. Typically 3.5-6 hours block to block.
 
grattonja said:
Anyone on the board with Angel Flight East? What sort of missions, distance wise, are you all doing?
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As luck would have it, right after I posted the previous reply, AFNE sent me the latest available mission list. See the attached .txt file (edited because this $#%# software refused to accept .xls file) for details. I stripped patient names and information, but you can see the airports. "#" is the number of people; "WGT" is the total weight (pasengers & baggage).
 
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Ed Guthrie said:
As luck would have it, right after I posted the previous reply, AFNE sent me the latest available mission list. See the attached .xls file for details. I stripped patient names and information, but you can see the airports. "#" is the number of people; "WGT" is the total weight (pasengers & baggage).
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Quite a list, Ed. Quite a range of locations. Seems like a lot of folks coming and going from Maine. I suppose that is because it is fairly isolated. If you are ever looking for a co-pilot/assist, drop me a private note. I would love to see how it all works before I sign up. And a mooney ride would be just fine too ;)

Jim G
 
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I've been trying for a couple of years to get AFNE to add distance info to those mission requests. It's an easy calculation and makes deciding if you can take on a mission a bit easier. I used to include that info when I was the AirLifeLine New England Coordinator.
 
grattonja said:
I would love to see how it all works before I sign up. And a mooney ride would be just fine too ;)
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Will do. I will also post the next AFMA mission list that crosses my desk.
 
grattonja said:
..Anyone on the board with Angel Flight East? What sort of missions, distance wise, are you all doing?

Jim G
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I also sat right seat for a few missions six or seven years ago. One was PNE to Boston, One was to the DC area to pick up the passenger and fly her to Ohio where she was transferred to another aircare alliance group who took her to Chicago, the third was PNE to South Bend Indiana.
 
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Working on becomming one. Filled out app. now need to send in insurance and get with Wing Leader. So soon should be a Angle Flight Pilot soon.
 
sere said:
Working on becomming one. Filled out app. now need to send in insurance and get with Wing Leader. So soon should be a Angle Flight Pilot soon.
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Once you get the Angles figured out, you'll soon be an Angel Flight Pilot as well! Congrats and welcome to Angel Flight!
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Command Pilot
Angel Flight West
 
gkainz said:
Once you get the Angles figured out, you'll soon be an Angel Flight Pilot as well! Congrats and welcome to Angel Flight!
--------------
Command Pilot
Angel Flight West
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Thanks and I am looking forward to it. I also make flights from time to time from Austin, Tx to Wichita, Ks so this looks like a good way to fill a seat or two that direction and back. :yes:
 
I'm working on getting the hours logged. By mid-July, I'll have my commercial rating but still no plane. :-(

I'm just a instrument rated PWOP (Pilot w/o plane).
 
jdwatson said:
I'm working on getting the hours logged. By mid-July, I'll have my commercial rating but still no plane. :-(

I'm just a instrument rated PWOP (Pilot w/o plane).
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Rentals are OK and you can write off the whole cost that way instead of just the fuel.
 
Michael said:
Have you been to calexico before?? That is the worst runway i have ever seen. I refuse to go there again. It was pure luck i didnt have a prop strike last time there.
Be carefull.

Michael
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Yes, I went in a Bonanza once and this time in a 172SP. Stout gear in a Bo doesn't mind. In the Cessna just hold the stick in your gut.
In a Mooney or a Tiger - no way.
 
BillG said:
I've been trying for a couple of years to get AFNE to add distance info to those mission requests. It's an easy calculation and makes deciding if you can take on a mission a bit easier. I used to include that info when I was the AirLifeLine New England Coordinator.
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Bill, you mean like this? The AFIDS system that the AF chapters are using do this now... I was of the impression that all of the Angel Flight chapters were using AFIDS now... is that not true?

Call to action: each of us who said we DO fly Angel Flights need to find one or more of the 30+ people in the poll above who said they've thought about it, and invite them along as a copilot on a mission so they can "taste and see that it is good."
 
Troy, that's great. Useful, well laid out. AFNE sends out mission requests in 2 attached documents: Excel and HTML, neither of which is laid out very well. Sigh...
 
lancefisher said:
Rentals are OK and you can write off the whole cost that way instead of just the fuel.
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I'm pretty sure you can write off more than just fuel. My understanding is that you can estimate your cost per hour and use that. Someone also suggested to me that a good starting point would be what a rental similar to your plane would go for.
 
I don't think so - just direct costs (fuel, oil, etc).
 
jkaduk said:
I'm pretty sure you can write off more than just fuel. My understanding is that you can estimate your cost per hour and use that. Someone also suggested to me that a good starting point would be what a rental similar to your plane would go for.
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Nope, I'm certain that the IRS is quite clear on this and it's direct out of pocket costs only for a charitable flying deduction. When you rent, the direct costs include the rental, otherwise it's just fuel, charts, ramp/tiedown fees etc. If your personal airplane was owned by a corporation which "rented" the plane to you at a rate that included proportional fixed costs and averaged operating costs, then you could take the whole thing (provided the corp books passed IRS muster). For an airplane registered to the pilot taking the deduction you can't even include an engine reserve.
 
Did it when they were still AirLifeLine. I dropped my airplane insurance this year. Now that I'm flying naked, I'm not taking unnecessary risks anymore.
 
lancefisher said:
Nope, I'm certain that the IRS is quite clear on this and it's direct out of pocket costs only for a charitable flying deduction. When you rent, the direct costs include the rental, otherwise it's just fuel, charts, ramp/tiedown fees etc. If your personal airplane was owned by a corporation which "rented" the plane to you at a rate that included proportional fixed costs and averaged operating costs, then you could take the whole thing (provided the corp books passed IRS muster). For an airplane registered to the pilot taking the deduction you can't even include an engine reserve.
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From one of the AOPA articles Bruce posted:

If owners fly their aircraft for charitable purposes, they will be able to deduct the fair market value of those services. That includes actual fuel costs, and perhaps an amount based on the estimated per-hour cost of the aircraft. Owners should document this amount in detail so they can substantiate it during an audit.

The thing that bothers me is the word "perhaps".
 
That should bother you because 'perhaps' the IRS will audit you and they haven't read that article...
 
jkaduk said:
From one of the AOPA articles Bruce posted:

If owners fly their aircraft for charitable purposes, they will be able to deduct the fair market value of those services. That includes actual fuel costs, and perhaps an amount based on the estimated per-hour cost of the aircraft. Owners should document this amount in detail so they can substantiate it during an audit.

The thing that bothers me is the word "perhaps".
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From another of Bruce's links (Air Care Alliance):

[font=Arial, Helvetica] These costs are: (1) fuel and oil for the actual flight; (2) transportation to and from the airport; (3) rental charges for a bus or van; (4) rental charges for an airplane used only for the program; (5) extra liability insurance incurred only for the program; (6) postage for mailing registration records; and (7) landing and tying down fees at a non-base home airport. Other expenses incurred by the volunteers for the youths are: (1) aeronautical educational materials; (2) meals; and (3) film and development. [/font] [font=Arial, Helvetica]"The volunteers will not be reimbursed by Foundation, or any other organization or person for demonstration and incidental costs." [/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica][ED. NOTE: The next sections cite and review certain IRS Code Sections, Regulations, and Rulings relating to various of the above expenses. In one case, a vehicle owner driving for his church was not permitted deduction of the full fair rental value of his personal automobile and airplane because:... ] [/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica]"...the vehicles remained under the taxpayer's control at all times. A deduction for depreciation was also denied because depreciation is not considered a payment. The court further denied a deduction for insurance premiums and the cost of repairs because the church was not the sole beneficiary of the insurance, and the repairs were not shown to have been caused by the use of the vehicles for solely charitable purposes. The court, however, held that the taxpayer was entitled to a deduction for out-of-pocket expenses including unreimbursed expenses for gasoline, oil, and pilot and license registration fees.[/font]
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The itallics are mine, and I believe this backs up what I've been saying although the complete text on the ACA website contains a lot of disclaimers. YRMV but the IRS has a big stick.
 
Okay, I'm playing Scott here and resurrecting an old thread. In 2007 I met the 250 PIC hours required by both LifeLine Pilots (Dr. Bruce's organization) and AngelFlight Central, now part of AirCare Alliance. I've done three flights for the former and one for the latter. The lack of flights for AFC is because they took longer to get me the introductory information (though it was more complete than LifeLine's) and because they didn't provide two people to help staff my AFC/LLP booth at my airport's open house, like LLP did! :) Plus, their missions don't tend to intersect the Chicago area quite as much.

I've started another thread about the tax deductibility issue. http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?p=267378
 
To some extent I like helping people. I'm the guy that stops to help stranded motorist during the day, help random people with misc items, and other random acts of kindness, but I as a lowly renter (172, 182, & Archer) I simply can't guarantee the availibility of an aircraft due not only to scheduling issues, but the possibility that the guy before you cause a mx issue like a towbar induced prop strike. Secondly, I'm not sure I can afford to fly often or far enough to make it worthwhile to the AF organization.

OTOH, now that I got the >200hrs or so I might consider being a 'co-pilot'.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
That's great, Grant! The 210 would work well for those missions!
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So far they've all been done in the 182, which actually has the same payload as the 210.

Pi1otguy said:
To some extent I like helping people. I'm the guy that stops to help stranded motorist during the day, help random people with misc items, and other random acts of kindness, but I as a lowly renter (172, 182, & Archer) I simply can't guarantee the availibility of an aircraft due not only to scheduling issues, but the possibility that the guy before you cause a mx issue like a towbar induced prop strike. Secondly, I'm not sure I can afford to fly often or far enough to make it worthwhile to the AF organization.

OTOH, now that I got the >200hrs or so I might consider being a 'co-pilot'.
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I've been doing all mine with a rental. While we have multiple planes available, there are only three on line that are really suited for this, IMHO; a 182, a T182, and a T210. But I've never had an issue with availability, only weather.
 
I'd be more than happy to fly right seat with someone, but the only rentals in the area are an old Skyhawk and two old Beech Sport 150s...not exactly load haulers.
 
I tagged along with a friend when he went to an orientation meeting last year in McMinnvile for AFW. I should have the hours in a few months, and look forward to starting. It's interesting, in the time since this thread started, requirements have apparently changed for AFW. On the first page, someone linked to angelflight.org citing 300 hours requirement for AFW, but the current requirement is 250 at http://www.angelflight.org/members/requirements.asp
 
Once I get my IR I'll probably sign up to fly right seat when I can.
 
I usually do 1 or 2 flights a month. I've had to scrub a few this winter due to wx, and now that I'm working on my comm rating I've had to cut back on Angel Flights.

It is very rewarding. You can't help but feel good helping these people in their time of need. I'm glad I'm fortunate enough to be able to help.
 
Very fun endeavor. Wish I could do more. Cancelled twice for VFR wx, and it makes you feel bad, but they do good at covering you in TX.
 
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