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 »
August Safety Update: Rethinking the Go-Around August 1, 2025 Go-Arounds: Are they classified as a success or a failure? A sure loss? During this report I wanted to explore with a little more detail the decision making process behind a Go-Around, more so than the execution portion of this maneuver. Go-arounds clearly may be needed in a wide variety of scenarios, including: Unstable approach: Too fast, too high, too low, or misaligned with the runway. Have you c… Safety Officers Read More »
Intern Reflection: Meet Gloriann August 1, 2025 My name is Gloriann Figueroa, and I have been working at Angel Flight West (AFW) as a Marketing and Communications Intern since the beginning of this year. In May, I graduated with my BA in Nonprofit Management from the University of North Texas. I’ve had such an incredible experience with AFW and have been fortunate enough to apply the skills I obtained as a student. Having a career in the nonprofit secto… Gloriann Figueroa Read More »
Dogs for Better Lives Names Puppy-in-Training “Jet” in Honor of Angel Flight West Volunteer Pilots July 30, 2025 CENTRAL POINT, OR July 28, 2025— A groundbreaking partnership between Dogs for Better Lives (DBL) and Angel Flight West is streamlining the journey for puppies and future Service Dogs, bringing efficiency and compassion to every step of their path toward service. This collaboration ensures that transportation is not just practical but also safe and timely, allowing DBL to focus more resources on trainin… Jessica Hayes Read More »
8th Annual Run for the Angels 5K July 30, 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8th Annual Run for the Angels 5K – Benefiting Angel Flight West: Participants to gather at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to run for a cause. DATE OF EVENT: 9/27/25 START TIME: 8:30 a.m. LOCATION: Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 11755 Airport Way, Broomfield, CO 80021 Press Notes: We invite press to join us at Rocky Mountain Me… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Angel Flight West 2025 Golf Classic July 30, 2025 Don’t Just Play Around. Play a Round That Matters. Angel Flight West Announces 2025 Golf Classic at Monarch Beach Golf Links Dana Point, Calif. – September 19, 2025 The Angel Flight West Golf Classic is one of Southern California’s most exciting annual charity tournaments, offering multiple ways to participate and support a meaningful cause. Proceeds from the event help Angel Flight West arrange free flights… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet Kaprice: Flying to Camp Since 2021 July 9, 2025 In 2016, then nine-year-old Kaprice was playing outside with his two brothers when he was hit by a speeding car. “He was dragged down the street,” Kaprice’s mother Krista tearfully remembers. Suffering severe burns from road rash and other critical injuries, Kaprice was on life support for a week and spent three months in the hospital. “The first thing the doctor said, recalls Krista, was, ‘Kaprice is a miracle.’… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Command Pilot and Camp Supporter: Meet Dirk Sanders June 24, 2025 Dirk Sanders’ love of airplanes began in childhood, when, at the age of five, he flew with his great-uncle in a Cessna 210 210 from his airstrip on the family ranch. Growing up in Idaho, his parents took him to airshows, where he watched military and civilian soar through the skies. After his family moved to Moses Lake, Washington, Dirk would often look skyward to see Boeing conducting test flights of the first Boeing 77… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Intern Reflection: Meet Lucy May 29, 2025 My name is Lucy Partington, and I have been interning at Angel Flight West (AFW) as the Communications and Marketing Intern for the Spring 2025 semester. I am currently a student at Chapman University, majoring in Public Relations, Advertising, and Entertainment Marketing at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. With a background in video production and social media, I was initially drawn to the internship as I tho… Lucy Partington Read More »
Meet Asher: A Life Lifted By Angels May 28, 2025 Weighing only 1 lb. 14 oz, Asher was born prematurely at 25 weeks. He spent 164 days in the neonatal intensive care unit and had to have a tracheotomy at just three months old. At four months, Asher had a button—a feeding device—placed in his stomach. And at 22 months, he underwent heart surgery. Now 11 years old, Asher has spent more than 640 days in the hospital. “Over 11 years and four different states, it’s been a… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Wonderful Angels May 28, 2025 To the Wonderful Angels of Angel Flight WestA Letter from Charlene, mother of AFW passenger Asher Words seem inadequate to express the profound gratitude I feel for the incredible service you provide. My son Asher was born at 25 weeks weighing 1 lb 14 oz, and to date has spent over 640 days in and out of the hospital. Over 11 years and 3 different states, it’s been a long, difficult journey we navigate daily and will contin… Jessica Hayes Read More »
