Read on below for the latest NEWS and for more information about the Air Care
Alliance, pilot groups, and volunteer flying activities. Whether you are a patient, family member, pilot, agency, or service provider, you will
likely find what you are looking for by starting here!
Join our announcement
list and we will send you important notices regarding volunteer pilot
operations and events.
 | CRITICAL LEGISLATIVE
INFORMATION:
New information posted May 1, 2008: Senator
Inhofe proposed an amendment in the Senate regarding Good Samaritan volunteer pilot liability relief legislation, previously introduced in Congress.
The legislation's supporters are urging you and your group's members to act in support of this critical legislation. For details see the Legislation Page.
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| AIR CARE
2008 is over - and was great! Our annual conference was held in
Atlanta April 25-26, 2008. For
more information visit the Air Care 2008 Page.
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| NAA /ACA
2007 Public Benefit Flying Awards
were presented
September 17, 2007 in the U.S. Capitol Building!
See details of the awards on our site on our
Awards Program Page. The
2007 recipients are described on our 2007 Awards Page.
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| AIR CARE
ALLIANCE AND THE ALLIANCE FOR AVIATION ACROSS AMERICA: This coalition
of general aviation pilots and groups fights for general aviation's
ability to serve the nation! See the Special
Bulletin
AAAA Website:
www.aviationacrossamerica.org
See the
Airports
Journal Article on the campaign
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| GENERAL AVIATION
GROUPS AGREE - FAA
USER FEE PROPOSAL ENDANGERS GENERAL AVIATION: Please click on one of
the images shown to prepare your comments about how user fees might
reduce your flying to help others. The campaign at the right is from the National Business
 Aircraft
Association and you can prepare and send automated messages to your elected officials. Click on the
image at the left to view AOPA's campaign against user fees including useful
information about the fees. Using the links
to your own officials you can prepare and send letters. In providing your
comments please list your volunteer pilot organization and explain that you
are a volunteer pilot donating your services to help those in need.
Note: the most effective letters are those written from your own point of view
and containing your own experiences and your stories about those you and
your group have helped. And the letters most likely to be read are those that
are sent via fax to the fax numbers shown for the officials. Emails are often
considered bulk mail, and because of security screening mailed letters are
often greatly delayed.
ALSO - see the Alliance for Aviation Across America campaign link above, and
the accompanying Airports Journal article link.
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| FAA AIR
TOUR RULES: Volunteer Pilot Public Benefit Flying Missions
are not affected, thanks to ACA testimony. See our News Page for details.
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| HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA RELIEF EFFORTS
- many volunteers pitched in: Please visit our News
Page for some guidelines on how to help and who to contact when
disaster strikes.
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ACA's "COMPASSION"sm
Call Sign: See the Regulations page.
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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."
HOW PUBLIC BENEFIT VOLUNTEERS HELP OTHERS:
Using their own time and general aviation aircraft, pilot volunteers from the many
public benefit flying organizations help hundreds of people each month. They and many
other non-flying volunteers work to transport needy patients to facilities where they are able to
receive medical attention they might otherwise have to do without. Many groups also play a
significant role providing disaster and emergency relief, flying for
environmental support, or performing other community
service missions.
However, do note that these groups do NOT fly patients or supplies when insurance or
other funds can provide commercial transport via air ambulance, charter, or airline.
The public benefit flying volunteers fly only when financial need or other special circumstances mean a
compelling human need would go unfulfilled.
Public benefit flying organizations utilize the unique capabilities of General Aviation
aircraft to lend a hand whenever rapid and safe air transportation is needed to make
health care accessible, save lives, or otherwise serve the public. Individual
organizations with this mission have been in existence for decades, but in 1990 the need
to share resources and coordinate efforts became clear. At that time AIR MED 90,
the first national
conference of public benefit flying organizations, was organized by Bill Worden,
one of our founders, at the headquarters of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association. Thus was born the Air Care Alliance.
Please investigate the information on this site and on those we list on our
next page. You will learn about all the groups doing this work, discover the rich world of public benefit flying, and
enjoy hearing about the generous people
who use their skills and resources to help others. We also provide
information for pilots and groups regarding regulations applying to flights, and
a page with links to many other health resources on the web.
Headline News:
New Public Benefit Flying group - Wings to Wishes
This group works with a Spokane-based wish granting organization which
provides seriously ill children the wish of their lifetime. Volunteer pilots of
this new organization will fly children to and from their wish sites; or to and
from a major transportation hub. See their site at www.wings2wishes.org.
THE AIR CARE
ANNUAL CONFERENCES are held each Spring. See our CONFERENCES PAGE for information about this
year's conference and for photos and schedules from prior years' conferences.
Our annual conferences provide a wonderful opportunity for highly motivated
volunteer pilots, group leaders, and flight coordinators to meet and learn from
one another at an information-packed and enjoyable gathering.
Other Stories on our NEWS page:
Articles on Volunteer Response to
9/11 crisis
AOPA PILOT MAGAZINE article "Compassion
in Action"
Photos from prior Air Care conferences.
"Learn to Fly" article in July 2000 Air & Space Magazine
"Compassion
Seven-One-Golf" article in Air & Space Magazine
Pilots - Volunteers - Groups:
See our Resources pages for useful information
about public benefit flying, including helpful links, details about the
"COMPASSION" call sign, applications for membership, and guidance regarding FAA and IRS
regulations.
Contacts: See our Board and Contact List
for complete information
Join our announcement and newsletter list by sending a
request to newsletter@aircareall.org
| Telephone: |
Patients needing transport:
if you do not find help from a group in our Listings please do email us at
mail@aircareall.org or
call our help line number below.
NOTICE REGARDING
DISASTER RELIEF INQUIRIES: If you wish to
help as a volunteer pilot please first read all the information on this
site about what you can do and then contact the groups in the Listings
directly. If you wish to contact the Air Care Alliance please send an email
message to relief@aircareall.org
- that way we can capture your information and forward it
appropriately. If you prefer to call, use our helpline number below.
General email: mail@aircareall.org
Office
Phone and Patient Transport Help Line:
Toll Free: 888 260-9707
Office Fax: 815-572-9192
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| Electronic mail: |
General Information: inquiries@aircareall.org
Webmaster: webmaster@aircareall.org |
The Air Care Alliance is the Recipient of
the 1996 Wolf Aviation Fund Award
