"The Voice of Public Benefit Flying" sm
FF June 2011

       

 
Flight Following
the official newsletter of the Air Care Alliance

Welcome to Flight Following! We will periodically publish Flight Following on our website and also send it directly via email in order to make sending and receiving it as convenient as possible for everyone. 

This journal is intended for volunteer pilots, group leaders, other volunteers, professional staff, and all those interested in the incredible world of public benefit flying! Feel free to pass it along to others. We hope it provides useful information making it easier for those who use aviation in public service do a better and more enjoyable job of flying to help others! 

 

 
Air Care logo
 
----------> FLIGHT FOLLOWING
MISSION STATEMENT
 

The Air Care Alliance promotes, supports, and represents public benefit flying through communication and cooperation among organizations facilitating flights for health, compassion, and community service.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

   

Volunteer Pilots Should Complete Their

GA Survey Forms


PBF Group Leaders:  an FAA contractor is sending the 2010 annual GA survey forms to randomly selected pilots across the U.S.   In your next email notice please let your volunteer pilots know how important it is for them to complete and send the survey if they get one!


Here is the information sent to us by the FAA: 

bullet We need to hear from everyone that received a survey to prepare accurate statistics on aviation activity. The GA Survey is a scientific sample of aircraft from the Civil Aviation Registry. Your responses are important because they represent many other aircraft like yours.
bullet Please respond, even if you did not fly your aircraft during 2010, you sold it, or the plane was damaged. These aircraft are just as important to calculate accurate statistics.
bullet The GA Survey is the FAA's primary source of information about the size and activity of the general aviation and on-demand Part 135 fleet.

A wide range of aircraft, aircraft operations, and types of ownership are included in this survey. If you receive a survey, please complete it so that we have accurate data on:

bullet all types of aircraft: rotorcraft, turbojets, turboprops, fixed-wing piston, gliders, hot air balloons, amateur-built, light-sport aircraft, experimental and non-experimental aircraft.
bullet many different aircraft operations, including: General operating and flight rules (Part 91) On-demand Part 135 (air taxi, air tours, and non-scheduled commuter Agricultural aircraft operations (Part 137) 
bullet aircraft owned/operated by individuals and by companies as well as: Flying clubs, flight schools, fractional ownership programs Government agencies (Federal, state, local) N-Numbered military aircraft used for civilian purposes

Please be assured...your responses are confidential. The information will be used only for statistical purposes and will not be released in any form that would reveal an individual participant. Tetra Tech is an independent research firm that conducts the GA Survey on behalf of the FAA.

 

A short form is available for owners/operators who receive three or more surveys. You can contact Tetra Tech with questions toll-free at 1-800-826-1797 or email

infoaviationsurvey@tetratech.com

Thank you! 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2010-2011

Officers

 

Rol Murrow

ACA Board Chairman

Emergency Volunteer

Air Corps

 

Charles (Lindy) Kirkland

ACA President 

Angel Flight East

 

Jim Weaver

ACA Vice President

Angel Flight West

 

Karen Halverson

ACA Secretary

 Lifeline Pilots

 

Jeff Kahn

 ACA Treasurer

Angel Flight East

 

Directors

 

Judy Benjamin

Angel Flight Central

 

Hume Davenport

Southwings

 

Rick Durden

LightHawk

  

Sandy Johnson

Angel Flight Soars

 

Kevin Sell

Volunteer Pilots Association

 

Christopher St. Peter

Operation Angel Planes &

Angel Flight West

 

Gary St. Peter

Operation Angel Planes

 

 Bill Worden

ACA President Emeritus

Angel Flight West & EVAC

 

ACA MEMBER LIST

SEE WHO ALREADY FLIES WITH US!

 
noses

 

Dozens and dozens of groups serve our communities and those in need, including international, national, regional, and statewide groups - and even small local groups with just a few pilots serving their immediate area. 

 

The Air Care Alliance lists and makes referrals to all the groups we can find. If your volunteer pilot organization is not on the Air Care Alliance Listings Page at

www.aircareall.org/listings.htm

please send us your information so we can include you!

  
Members
AeroAngel
Angel Flight Central, Inc.
Angel Flight East
Angel Flight Northeast
Angel Flight Soars, Inc.
Angel Flight West
Angel Flight, Inc. (Oklahoma)
Aviation for Humanity
Bahamas Habitat
Children's Flight of Hope, Inc.
Dreams and Wings, Inc.
Emergency Volunteer Air Corps (EVAC)
Hope Flight Foundation
LifeLine Pilots
LightHawk
Operation Angel Planes
Patient Airlift Services
Pilots for Christ, Inc.
Pilots for Patients
Sky Hope Network
Veteran's Airlift Command
Vital Flight, Inc.
Volunteer Mercy Pilots (MI)
Wings Flights of Hope
Wings for Children - SC
Wings of Mercy - Michigan (West)
 

Listing Only

Aerobridge
Air Charity Network (ACN)
Airlift Hope of North Carolina
Airlift Hope of Tennessee
Angel Flight Australia
Angel Flight Europe
Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic
Angel Flight of Kentucky
Angel Flight of Maryland
Angel Flight of Michigan
Angel Flight of Ohio
Angel Flight of Vancouver Island (CANADA)
Angel Flight of Virginia
Angel Flight South Central
Angel Flight Southeast
Badger Aviation Inc.
Challenge Air for Kids & Friends
Christian Air Ministry
Civil Air Patrol
Cloud Nine Rescue Flights
Corporate Angel Network
EAA Young Eagles
Flights for Life, Inc.
Flying Paws
Flying Samaritans
Freedom Flight
Grace Flight
Grace on Wings
Help Four Paws
His Wings Aviation Ministries
Hope Air of Canada
Hope Wings Foundation
Houston Ground Angels & Pilots
International Shrine Aviation Assoc.
Kids Wings
Liga - Flying Doctors of Mercy
Medflight of Indiana, Inc.
Mercy Flight Alabama
Mercy Flight Indiana aka Wings of Mercy-Illiana
Mercy Flight Southeast
Mercy MedFlight, Inc.
Mercy Medical Airlift (MMA)
Mercy Wings Network
Miracle Flights for Kids
Missions Made Possible
N.C. Baptist Men Aviation Ministry
Northwoods AirLifeLine LLC
Oklahoma Baptist Men Aviation Ministry
One Heart Missions Services
Pilots for Christ Intl.
Pilots N Paws
Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps
Servant Air Ministries (FL Chptr of Pilots for Christ)
SkyArk, Inc.
South Wings, Inc.
Volunteer Pilots Association
Wings for Children - PA
Wings of Hope, Inc.(MO)
Wings of Mercy - Minnesota
 

Official Newsletter of the       
Air Care Alliance                     
June 2011
Beam of clouds
 
 
Why Are We Here?Rol Murrow
Rol Murrow, Chairman of the Board

 

Every once in a while someone attends an Air Care Conference and says "Why should I be involved with the Air Care Alliance? What's in it for me or my group?"

  

 

That seems like a strange question. After all, when volunteer pilots join a public benefit flying group it is quite rare that they say "What's in it for me?" The pilots want to join and support the group because they want to use their aircraft and skills to help others and their communities! 

 

 

Likewise for the Air Care Alliance. Our members join because they know that it doesn't really matter if a patient is flown, or another charitable act performed, by them or by some other group, as long as the mission is accomplished. There is far more need than any one group can accomplish.

 

While loyalty and devotion to our own group and its objectives is important, so is being loyal to the overarching goal of helping others as well as possible. Isn't that our fundamental objective?

 

Joining and supporting the Alliance supports that primary objective. By sharing information and developing mutually supportive relationships we improve all the groups' operations and ability to support their volunteers in helping those in need.

 

Yes, there are some extra benefits of membership too, such as having better access to information helpful to our own groups' operations, and being better able to participate in setting national policy regarding public benefit flying.

 

Thus it is important for us to step back every once in a while and ask ourselves the fundamental question, "What's in it for the people and the communities we and our group are trying to help?" Then the value of your partnership with all the other groups in the Alliance becomes obvious!

 

 

 

 

 

President's Message

 

AirVenture 2011Lindy Kirkland

Charles (Lindy) Kirkland, ACA President

  

We are in full swing planning for EAA AirVenture 2011 and our Air Care Alliance display area.  Once again, thanks to the encouragement and support of EAA and our other sponsors, we will have a tent and exhibit space at AirVenture for the purpose of promoting all the charitable volunteer pilot organizations.  This year we will be in the same area as the International Association of Mission Aviation (IAMA) and other charitable aviation organizations. 


A huge THANK YOU goes out to ACA Board Member Judy Benjamin for taking on the responsibility of coordinating our tent activities and volunteers this year.  Judy will be looking for volunteers from all groups to help staff the booth throughout the week.  If you have pilots or other volunteers that will be at AirVenture, we could sure use the help.  Please have interested volunteers contact Judy at jbenjamin3@kc.rr.com


We want to help out those groups which can't send a representative in person by having your literature and your marketing / recruiting material displayed in the ACA tent.  Please send us a supply of your brochures and a photo or two so we can promote your group.  Or better yet have one of your volunteers bring it to AirVenture and deliver it!  For shipment, please send to the following address: 


Lindy Kirkland
10 Falling Water Ct.
Fredericksburg, VA  22405


Rol and I will again be presenting a program on Public Benefit Flying.  The forum schedule is not yet complete so we don't know the exact dates and times but if you are at AirVenture, check the schedule and come on by the forums.  Otherwise make the Air Care Alliance tent your home away from home and rendezvous place.  Hope to see you at AirVenture 2012!

 

The Air Care 2011 Conference - Wrap Up

 

 The Air Care 2011 Conference

A Most Successful Event! 

 Group at Conference

We extend our many thanks to our gracious host organization, Operation Angel Planes, and the St. Peter Family for their warm hospitality in bringing us AIR CARE 2011 in Providence, Rhode Island.  Delegates from many Public Benefit Flying Groups enjoyed wonderful presentations, a delightful tour of Newport, delicious meals, and a great conference.
Mayor of ProvidenceSenator Sheldon

 

Angel Taveras, the Mayor of Providence (pictured left), and United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (pictured right)graciously took time from their busy schedules to welcome us to Rhode Island and congratulate all the groups and their volunteers for their work helping others and providing community service with general aviation aircraft.

reception
Gary and Jan St. Peter had arranged a pre-conference bus tour of Newport for the folks arriving early, and we all had a good time visiting the historic places and the seaside, and sharing a wonderful lunch in the town.  That evening we enjoyed a reception at our conference hotel, the elegant Marriott Courtyard.
 
  
LindyDuring the conference on Saturday our speakers provided presentations with information useful to all the groups, regarding our AOPA Air Safety Institute Online Safety Course and the new ACA website and referral system, which will be made live soon.  Other presentations focused on developing a crisis
  
response plan and the development of best practices for volunteer pilot organizations. During the course of the day the conference delegates shared their ideas and recommendations, providing superb information useful to everyone and for the development of the website.
Among other website ideas, the delegates determined that they would like to see increased content for a Members-only section, in order to encourage greater participation by the groups supporting ACA's work on behalf of all groups.

GatheringSaturday evening Gary and Jan hosted another reception at their beautiful offices on the river near downtown, and then we all adjourned to the restaurant next door for a delicious Air Care banquet with live music, dancing, and the kind of lively shenanigans only the dedicated leaders of volunteer based public benefit flying groups can pull off!   Many distinguished Angel Planes supporters from the community joined us, and amongst the festivities Gary provided a special award in recognition of Rhode Island Congressman Jim Langevin, who spoke eloquently of his appreciation of the work off Angel Planes and all the volunteer pilot who fly to help others and serve their communities.
  
award

All in all, Air Care 2011 was exceptional!  We look forward to seeing you at Air Care 2012!

  

ACA News & Updates

 

 

We are getting ever closer to launching the new Air Care Alliance website. At the recent Air Care 2011 Conference, web developer, Stephan Fopeano went through the functionality of the new website with the conference attendees. There was a great deal of interaction and constructive feedback from the Mission Coordinator community with regard to the referral process on the site. Stephan took it all in stride and was very appreciative and encouraged with the feedback received. Based on the input from those in attendance, changes to the site are underway and will be incorporated. Some of the major changes that arose from the conference discussion include:

  1. A Member's Only section. There will be a concerted effort to distinguish content that is for groups that are members of the Alliance as opposed to those that are only listed.
  2. Significant changes to the automatic notification system for referrals. Mission Coordinators did not want the system to auto generate an email to all the identified groups. They system will now provide the listing of the appropriate groups but the requestor will have to manually click on those listings to have an email sent to the groups.

Lastly, we are in the final phases of updating the database and finalizing the content in each section of the site. We have had several Civil Air Patrol volunteers assisting with the input and editing of the various pages but could use more assistance. We are anxious to get the site up and running for your use and hope that each of you will take the time to acquaint yourselves with it and use it in the coming months. If you are interested in a sneak peek, go to http://dev.aircarealliance.org and look around. I welcome your feedback after you take a look at the site.

Lindy Kirkland - Lindy.kirkland@aircareall.org

 _____________________________________________________________

  

Opportunity For Volunteer Pilots at

EAA Air Venture 2011 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin

 

Volunteer pilots from all groups are invited to participate in this year's Public Benefit Aviation promotion, July 25 -31. Please check your calendars for the day or days & times you may be available during the EAA Air Venture to share your passion for helping others by assisting in the Air Care Alliance exhibit tent. In the next few weeks you will receive further information about the display and a shift schedule if you are on our mailing list. This is a great opportunity to tell other volunteers about the group or groups you fly for and to meet with other pilots interested in public benefit flying.

 

General email: mail@aircareall.org                                    Air Care logo            
Office Phone and Patient Transport Help Line:   

Toll Free: 888-260-9707
Office Fax: 815-572-9192

 

 
Air Care Alliance | 2060 State Highway 595 | Lindrith | NM | 87029

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Please feel free to forward this newsletter or the link http://www.aircareall.org/ff-090510.htm to other members of your group and to anyone else interested in public benefit flying. 
 

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