FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For information contact:
Lindy Kirkland 540.903.7580
Air Care Alliance Presents Check to AOPA Foundation for
Online Safety Course for Volunteer Pilot Operations
AT AOPA SUMMIT (Long Beach, CA) Nov 12, 2010 --- Volunteer
Pilots Flying to Help Others.
The Air Care Alliance is pleased to announce the payment of the first
installment of funding for a new online safety course designed for Volunteer
Pilot Operations. The AOPA Foundation’s Air Safety Institute and the Air Care
Alliance (ACA) have teamed together to begin work on a course designed to help
improve safety in volunteer pilot operations. The course will have the look and
feel of previous AOPA online courses and will be designed for aviators who
volunteer their time and aircraft for charitable purposes, especially patient
transport missions. With this first installment of funding work can begin in
earnest to create the content and computer code for the course.
Additionally, ACA is seeking input and ideas from the entire volunteer pilot
community. ACA lists more than 60 public benefit flying groups on its website
and is soliciting input and course content from all interested groups.
“We want to ensure that this course provides meaningful safety recommendations
for all the groups engaged in volunteer pilot operations” said Lindy Kirkland,
Air Care Alliance President. “We intend for it to be a tool that the groups can
use to help orient new pilots as well as to remind long-time volunteers about
the unique safety considerations which affect volunteer operations.” The next
step will be to host a future initial conference for all interested groups to
finalize the outline and provide additional content for the course writers.
The Volunteer Pilot Operations Safety Course is being developed in response to
NTSB recommendations to the Air Care Alliance that were published earlier this
year dealing with volunteer pilot operations, following several accidents during
2007-2008 involving patient transport flights (see http://www.aircareall.org/ntsb.htm).
The community of charitable aviators recognizes that there is still much that
can be done to enhance the already strong culture of safety of volunteer pilot
operations. This will be one additional and useful tool that groups can use to
help facilitate safer operations.
The AOPA Foundation is matching donations in support of this project. Already
individuals as well as volunteer pilot groups such as Angel Flight West,
Operation Angel Planes, and LightHawk have pledged the initial funds to get this
project started. More donations would be greatly appreciated and can be sent to
the Air Care Alliance, marked “Volunteer Pilot Operations Safety Course.”
The mission of the ACA is to promote, support, and represent public benefit
flying through communication and cooperation among organizations facilitating
flights for health, compassion, and community service. Public benefit flying
organizations have existed for decades, but the need to share resources and
coordinate efforts became clear in November 1990. At the invitation of founder
and volunteer pilot Bill Worden, nineteen volunteer pilot organizations met at
the national headquarters of Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) to form
the Air Care Alliance (ACA). Currently there are more than sixty such pilot
organizations that can be contacted using the ACA Listings Page on its website.
By promoting interaction and cooperation among these nonprofit groups, the Air
Care Alliance is able to direct the public to an organization that best meets
their needs, helping ensure a quick and qualified response. If you require
assistance, have resources, or are involved with other volunteer pilot
organizations, please do not hesitate to contact us or the groups listed on the
ACA website at www.AirCareAll.org, or through the help-line at 888-260-9707.
Air Care Alliance 2060 State
Highway 595 Lindrith, New Mexico 87029
www.AirCareAll.org
Help Line: 888.260.9707 Fax: 1.877.420.7391