February Safety Update: Fatigue, “Duty Time”, and the Long Day Trap February 4, 2026 Flying for Angel Flight West (AFW), or any philanthropic flying, is among the most meaningful work a general aviation pilot can do. Volunteer pilots, Earth Angels and all AFW staff and volunteers bring skill and compassion together in service to others. But these missions also introduce a unique set of risks – many of which are subtle, cumulative, and easy to underestimate. Let us examine those risks under th… Safety Officers Read More »
New Director of Development: Meet April Tam January 27, 2026 We’re excited to introduce Angel Flight West’s new Director of Development, April Tam! April is a seasoned professional with expertise in event planning, fundraising, program design, and leadership development. A first-generation college student, she has built a career spanning over a decade across higher education, civic engagement, and the nonprofit sector — leading initiatives for organi… LindseyK Read More »
Spotlight: Volunteer Pilot Jeremy Albright of Arizona January 22, 2026 Angel Flight West’s volunteer pilots carry out acts of generosity each day by donating their time, talent, and resources to help others. Each time a mission is flown, a patient accesses the healthcare resources they need while being uplifted with hope. Meet the volunteers who make it all possible in this monthly newsletter and, if you’re a pilot in the West, get involved today by visiting angelflightwest.org/pilo… LindseyK Read More »
A Thank You Letter from Passenger Shannon December 31, 2025 Our passenger Shannon shares her gratitude to Angel Flight West volunteers and supporters in a letter below for their generosity in 2025. To Angel Flight West Volunteers, Supporters, and Staff, I am here to express my deepest and sincerest gratitude for everything you have done for my son Kane and for our family. Your support has made a tremendous difference during a time in our lives when the simplest tasks — like tr… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Intern Reflection: Meet Elizabeth December 28, 2025 My name is Elizabeth Walloch and I have been a communications intern at Angel Flight West since September this year. I’m a senior at The University of Montana pursuing a bachelors degree in communications and certificates in health communication and entertainment management. When I’m not studying or creating content for AFW, you can usually find me at practice with my teammates or danc… [email protected] Read More »
From AFW Passenger Amelia December 23, 2025 For 17 years, Amelia’s sons, Jamisen and Cian, relied on AFW flights to access the specialized care they needed at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Amelia shares their story below, grateful that other families will continue to find hope and support through the gift of flight. Amelia shares: I remember the moment we heard about Angel Flight West (AFW) from Nurse Kathy at Children’s Hospital Los Angele… Jessica Hayes Read More »
A Message From Passengers Savannah and Eli December 23, 2025 Our son Eli was just two years old when he had his first seizure. Now, at eight, he’s a bright, strong-willed child who continues to live with intractable epilepsy — a condition that remains challenging to manage with medication. Our family lives in Silt, Colorado, nearly 10 hours from the specialized care Eli receives at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Traveling that far for appointments was daunting, both physical… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Intern Reflection: Meet Kate December 10, 2025 My name is Kate Malone, and I have had the privilege of serving as a Communications Intern with Angel Flight West for the Fall 2025 semester. I’m a Public Relations major at the University of South Carolina, and coming into this internship, I was excited to sharpen my communications skills within a mission-driven organization. What I didn’t expect was just how meaningful and inspiring this experience would become.… Kate Malone Read More »
A Holiday Letter from Our Executive Director December 9, 2025 Dear Supporter, This holiday season, patients in your community need your help. For thousands of individuals and families, transportation remains a barrier to essential medical care. But with your support,we can continue to serve those who need us most by making the gift of flight possible for people who count on Angel Flight West. Meet our passenger, eight-year-old Eli. At just two years old, he wa… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet AFW Passenger Gabe December 3, 2025 AFW passenger Gabe has been flying with AFW since early 2024 to reach his essential care at Children’s Hospital LA. Gabe’s mother, Jadie, shares: “Our son Gabe is 15 years old. He suffered two strokes and a brain bleed after catching a virus and being intubated for four months. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy as a result of this tragic event. “We moved to Arizona when Gabe wa… Jessica Hayes Read More »
New Board Member: Meet Eric Haskel November 14, 2025 We’re excited to introduce AFW’s newest board member, Eric Haskel! Eric Haskel is the Head of Aviation at Hillspire, LLC, a Los Angeles-based family office, where he is involved in all aspects of the company’s aviation operations and aerospace strategies. He previously served as an executive at Walton Enterprises, as well as at various investment-related companies. Eric holds a degree in Ae… Kate Malone Read More »
Cheri’s Reflections on 28 Years at Angel Flight West November 14, 2025 Greetings AFW Angels, When our newsletter editor Jess asked me if I wanted to write my column this issue, I said yes. I wanted to reflect on 28 years with Angel Flight West. Yep, 28 years – I have been fortunate enough to be a part of this amazing group of volunteers, board members, passengers and staff for nearly three decades. My tenure has spanned an era when all our upcoming missions showed on a whiteboard in our office a… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Advantages of Filing IFR for AFW Missions November 7, 2025 Hello AFW Command Pilots, specifically IFR-rated Command Pilots. OK, so I feel bad for all the VFR-only Angel Flight Command Pilots, as this article doesn’t apply to you (unless it encourages you to get your instrument rating!). I don’t fly nearly as many Angel Flight missions as I’d like to, but most of those flights were VFR flights. However, I have recently filed and flown several IFR Angel Flights, regardless of t… Safety Officers Read More »
How Advanced Air and Volunteer Pilots Made Dylan’s Journey Possible October 31, 2025 Dylan was only nine years old when he complained of having a migraine and numbness in his legs. Knowing migraines are unusual for Dylan, his mom Vanessa took him to the emergency room, where their scary medical journey began. “That was the beginning of ten hours at the ER, watching Dylan in and out of consciousness,” says Vanessa. After hours of tests and blood work, a pediatrician quickly attuned to Dylan’s sym… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Celebrating 700 Missions: Command Pilot Chris Bennett October 1, 2025 Chris Bennett joined Angel Flight West on February 6, 2014, completing his orientation just three days later and flying his very first mission on February 14. Since then, he has completed an extraordinary 705 missions, flying a Diamond Star 40 out of San Jose (SJC). One of his deepest connections has been with Eileen, who has flown with Chris 323 times. Eileen lovingly calls herself the president of the “Chris… Jessica Hayes Read More »
