My First Angel Flight mission

dkalwishky · Post by **dkalwishky** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 6:07 am

Two months ago I signed on with an organization called Angel Flight. I would like to relate my first experience with flying a passenger that needed my help.

Angel Flight provides free transportation to medical treatment for people who cannot afford public transportation, or who cannot tolerate it for health reasons. Angel Flight also flies missions in response to other compelling needs

Their web site is http://www.angelflightamerica.org/

Ok, my story.

11/29/03 - My first mission that will be flown. I've had six prior missions cancelled due to weather (whish I had an IFR rating) or because of a passenger change of plans.

I departed Ankeny, IA (IKV) for Boone, IA (BNW) to pick up a woman and her two kids (ages 4 and 6) to fly them over to Peru, IL (VYS). This is the first leg of three for them. They are headed to Pennsylvania.

I arrive in Boone at the appointed time and handle the necessary paper work. We load the kids and mom into my plane and start up. The 6 year old is totally freaked out by riding in the plane. Mom is a bit nervous as well. After a few minutes of trying to calm the 6 year old down we realize that it's not going to happen. She is crying so hard she is about to make herself physically sick. They deplane and drive home contemplating on how they are going to get the Pennsylvania.

I fly home sad that I was not able to help the family out in a time of need.

11/30/03 - My second mission.

I depart Ankeny (IKV) for Cedar Rapids, IA (CID) to pick up a woman to transport to St. Paul, MN (STP). I arrive on time but she is running a bit late, the winds are forecasted to really pick up in the afternoon and I know I am going to fight a crosswind when coming home. Total time on this leg is .8 on the tach.

Our ground speed to STP is showing 80mph average on my GPS; we are fighting against a 40 mph head wind. When we arrive at STP Minneapolis Center is great about getting us in under the Class Bravo airspace as we come in to STP. The surface wind is now 25 gusting to 31 mph. It's a little bit of a crosswind as I approach the runway and ground. The ride is really rough below 2000' but we touch down with a landing that is pretty darn good for the conditions we were in. I looked over at my passenger and she has both hands on the "oh crap" handle. She commented that I did a really nice landing giving the conditions. We taxied up to the FBO and I dropped her off and took on fuel. Total time from CID to STP was 2.9 hours.

After a 30 minute break I reboard the airplane for the trip home, know that I am going to have a 40mph tail wind and I am looking forward to getting home in a hurry. As I do my run-up at the end of the runway a Falcon jet is landing and he is being bumped around by the wind. I think to myself that this is going to b an interesting takeoff. I am cleared for take off and take the runway. I am bounced all over the place but my skyhawk and I get off the ground and climb like crazy!

Once I am clear of the class Bravo airspace I climb back up to 6500 feet and the air smooths out and I have a wonderfull trip home, the GPS is now indicating 151 mph (in a 172 no less). I touch down at Ankeny 1.8 hours later and put the plane back in the hangar. Total flight time today is 5.5 hours.

As I drive home I realized that I have helped someone today with my plane and saved them from a 5 - 6 hour drive (one way) and made a difference in her life. It is a GREAT feeling to have helped someone.

wa4jr · Post by **wa4jr** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 5:36 am

Good to hear of your Angel Flight experience. I just sent my paperwork off for Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic. I used to fly medivac in a C-421 all over Texas and down into Mexico, and really loved making a difference...something I don't get to do in the jet at work

I asked the folks at Angel Flight if they could really use a C-170 and they said yes. I personally think it is a bit too small and too slow with not much if any performance margin if things get a bit testy...but I guess it beats driving or paying through the nose to ride in a big metal tube with all the security hassels. I told them I really would not be ready for any missions until after annual in April, as I am installing shoulder harnesses, along with a modern DG to replace the old AN type. I do OK with the AN type, but 60 seconds into solid IFR, I am crying for a modern DG and modern center-stack IFR panel layout. Has anyone else done Angel Flight work in a C-170?

Larry Holtz · Post by **Larry Holtz** » Fri Dec 12, 2003 3:59 am

I joined Angel Flight last spring. It is very rewarding to be able to help people in need and introduce them to small aircraft. I did a mission in August with 2 big 16 year olds going home from a burn victims camp. They had so much stuff that after I loaded the baggage area, I loaded them and then piled stuff on top and around them. Full fuel and a sea level take off and then a 300+ mile trip over the mountains. The old ragwing did just fine. The biggest problem was visability because of the forest fires.
Several people on our region fly missions using 150's and 172's. I haven't flown many missions this winter because most of them are over the Cascade Mountains, and the "Great Northwest Ice Machine" is alive and doing it's thing this winter.

Larry