Many volunteer pilots fly for multiple organizations which we all agree is a wonderful thing! In fact, every pilot that completes a volunteer application through the Air Care Alliance (ACA) website applies to three different organizations on average. ACA encourages pilots to serve through aviation in as many ways as possible.
However, logging into multiple systems to see and choose available flights is neither efficient nor ideal. Many flights go unfilled (meaning passengers don’t get where they need to go). And many potential volunteers stagnate (or give up on finding flights at all).
ACA has heard feedback from pilots and organizations alike that having one central place for pilots to view and select flight opportunities would help bolster the ability to serve more individuals in need.
One solution is a Common Flight Board where pilots can see and select flight opportunities from multiple organizations across the country with one log in. With a goal of making it easier for pilots to find flights and for organizations to fill them, ACA is excited to get this new collaborative project underway. Here are some of the benefits of a Common Flight Board:
For Pilots
- Streamline the process of viewing and selecting available flights across multiple organizations (no more multiple log-ins)
- Provide more flight opportunities so pilots can find “just right” flights suitable to their schedule and preferences
- Better ability to maximize flight efficiency and geography
For Organizations
- Higher percentage of filled flights!
- Greater ability to accept “on the margin” requests since a larger pool of volunteers and equipment is available (i.e. long-range flights, very heavy flights, marginal mobility issues, etc.)
- Flights for disaster and emergency response–particularly on a national level–could be more easily coordinated across geographies when needed
For Passengers
- More pilots viewing the opportunity means a better chance of a flight getting filled!
- Multi-leg flights could be flown by one pilot with the right aircraft (fewer legs and transfers, shorter travel time)
We hope you will join us in making this project possible! Here are three ways you can show your support:
- If you are a volunteer pilot, join our user group to help provide feedback on the user experience. Start by completing this survey.
- If you represent a Volunteer Pilot Organization, opt in today to be included in this project! The more organizations that participate, the more useful a Common Flight Board becomes. Contact Kristinia Luke k.luke@aircarealliance.org with any questions.
- Donate! Financial support is needed to develop and maintain the technology behind this project. Please consider making a contribution today. Your generosity is appreciated! Give now.