Do you know someone doing great things for Public Benefit Flying? Whether a volunteer pilot, a non-flying volunteer, or an individual or organization providing extraordinary support, you can help give them the recognition they deserve. Nominate someone deserving today! About the Awards The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and the Air Care Alliance (ACA) created the […]
When the last of her four children went off to college, Wanda Whitsitt learned to fly. At 48 years old, she decided to begin flight lessons with her husband. He never finished, but Wanda got hooked. She reveled in the challenge and proudly earned her pilot certificate. Despite such a noteworthy achievement, Wanda believed there […]
Cited as the third most common barrier to care, transportation is a considerable problem for all patients. Children and adults with advanced cancers, rare illnesses, pre- and post- transplant needs, and other serious maladies, often require medical treatment they simply cannot access where they live. Those in need of free air transportation to access life-saving […]
With welcome news of the COVID-19 vaccines, there have been some common questions regarding the vaccine and volunteer pilots. Can they deliver it? Can they receive priority to get it? Read on to learn more… Which vaccines are approved by the FAA for use by pilots and are there any special considerations? The Pfizer […]
The National Aeronautic Association (NAA), in partnership with the Air Care Alliance (ACA), a nationwide league of humanitarian flying organizations, is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 Public Benefit Flying Awards.These awards were created to honor volunteer pilots, other volunteers, and organizations engaged in flying to help others, as well as those supporting […]
You’ve received your new CMF call sign and are ready to fly your first volunteer flight using it. Great! The COMPASSION call sign has many benefits. It alerts ATC that you are on an important charitable mission and provides a measure of safety and comfort for your passengers. Controllers may be more likely to clear […]
“…on a day that aviation was used as a weapon, it was also used as a means of rescue, relief and recovery by selfless aviators who picked themselves up and dove into constructive action in spite of the confusion.” Read the story of how volunteer pilots and organizations became a lifeline after 9/11. In the […]
Volunteer Pilots are exceptional people–there’s no doubt about that. But what motivates them? How do their experiences shape their volunteerism and sustain their interest? PhD candidate Melanie Porter wants to find out. Her research seeks to investigate and discover the motivation factors that prompt an individual to participate in continued volunteer engagements. The study aims […]
Those involved with volunteer flying have likely felt the frustration of limited pilot resources. We all want to be able to complete more flights, but let’s face it, flying is expensive! There’s a limit to the amount any pilot can give. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could defray a pilot’s cost of flying charitable […]
Written by Rick Durden, Vice President, Air Care Alliance Originally published by Air Care Alliance, March 2017 Updated and republished in June, 2020 Introduction: The FAA has been cracking down on illegal part 135 operations, increasing both investigations and enforcement actions against pilots and operators. On May 22, the FAA sent an informational letter to […]