AFW’s New Partnership with The Service Dog Connection March 29, 2024 In addition to flying passengers to their far-off medical care, Angel Flight West provides services for other compelling needs, including flights for our furry, four-legged friends. One of those newest partnerships took off last week with the The Service Dog Connection in Bend, OR, an organization that places trained service dogs with families to support individuals with disabilities. “We had our first missio… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Wingspan: Meet New Idaho Wing Leader Don Reiman March 1, 2024 Please help us welcome Don Reiman as AFW’s new Idaho Wing Leader! Don has been a volunteer with AFW for years with 14 missions to date in his Cessna T210. We’re thrilled to welcome him to this new volunteer leadership role. Don says, “I am passionate about many things from helping others to exploring the great outdoors. As the Founder and President of Echelon Group, I channel my passions into my professional life… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet Ace: AFW’s 2023 Top Flyer February 27, 2024 A retired Air Force pilot, member of the Hawaii Air National Guard, and pilot with Aloha Airlines, Hawaii Wing Leader Ace Ellinwood seems to have spent more time soaring through the skies than on the ground. After all, as Angel Flight West’s (AFW) 2023 top flyer, Ace flew an incredible 92 missions to help passengers travel between islands to access life-saving treatments. Ace first heard about AFW years ago at a local… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet AFW’s Newest Board Member, Richard Beattie January 19, 2024 We’re thrilled to introduce AFW’s newest board member, Richard Beattie! Richard is retired and lives with his wife Adrienne in Anacortes, WA. A UK/US dual citizen, he spent his career in the automotive and powersports industries. Richard’s most recent position was Chief Operating Officer for Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA, responsible for marketing, sales and service for all of Kawasaki’s recreatio… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Wingspan: Announcing New Wing Leaders in UT, AZ, WA, and NV. January 19, 2024 We’re thrilled to announce new wing leaders in four states, including Lou Rossi (Utah), Alan Underwood (Arizona), Shawn Linch (Nevada), and Ricardo Lagos (Washington). Additionally, we’re excited to share that Dave Lombard will take on the role of area leader for Central California. We also share our gratitude and thanks to our outgoing wing leaders, including Steve Bollinger (Utah), Tim Barrios (Arizo… Jessica Hayes Read More »
A Principal’s Reflection: Utah’s Santa Flight January 9, 2024 Last month, AFW’s Utah volunteers brought holiday cheer to the students of Sunset Elementary School via this year’s Santa Flight! Since 2000, pilots have filled their airplanes with school supplies, books, hats, coats, backpacks, and toys for students at Title One schools in rural communities. We extend a sincere thank you to all our volunteers for making this possible, including the incredible Sa… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Meet Marlene: Driving Passengers the Last Mile to Care November 16, 2023 Marlene with Romero, a passenger she drives to treatment regularly For nurses like Marlene Hutchison, giving is second nature. She spent her career in health care, ensuring patients were well taken care of while helping them recover from a range of conditions and illnesses. That’s why when she came across Angel Flight West while browsing the web a few years ago, she knew she had to get involved. After all, the world of… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Spotlight on a Board Member: Meet Hans Fuegi October 17, 2023 A native of Switzerland who emigrated to the Western United States in 1979, Hans Fuegi’s interest in aviation started when he was just a kid. As a real estate, development and hospitality professional, Hans found himself owning a business in California but residing in Park City, Utah. For a born adventurer and successful restauranteur, that seemed the perfect time to learn how to fly. Hans took Evan, a membe… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Marcie Smith’s Aviation Journey: From NASA to AFW October 17, 2023 Francisco and his companion were able to get to Francisco’s care at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital with Marcie as their AFW pilot. It was a high school flight science teacher who sparked Marcie Smith’s interest in aviation. The class learned to read charts, plan cross-country flights, and test airplane wings in the school’s wind tunnel. As part of a unique curriculum, their educator even took stu… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Volunteer Rob Ross: Prosecutor, Professor, Partner, & Pilot October 17, 2023 Rob and a furry friend he flew to training on an AFW mission. Rob Ross has had his share of career experiences over the years, from L.A. lifeguard to prosecutor with the Ventura County District Attorney’s office to college professor. Today, he’s a managing partner with a family-owned real estate and solar investment company. Fortunately for Angel Flight West, he’s also been a volunteer pilot for more t… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Tom McGrath’s 30-Plus-Year Commitment to Charitable Aviation October 11, 2023 Following in his father’s footsteps, Tom McGrath started flying in college 50 years ago. And for more than 30 of those years, he’s been donating his talent and resources to give back. Tom’s charitable aviation journey began as an AirLifeLine volunteer pilot before he officially became part of Angel Flight West’s (AFW) network of volunteers in 1991. “Getting involved gave me an opportunity to fly more and to u… Jessica Hayes Read More »
A Pilot’s Privilege: Ryan Cowley’s Service to Others August 30, 2023 Flying has been a part of AFW Volunteer Pilot Ryan Cowley’s family for generations. His father was a Life Flight helicopter pilot, and his Pappy was a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). Following in their footsteps, Ryan became a CFI three years ago. “I enjoy teaching others how to fly and how to become better pilots,” he says. “I wanted to share my passion for aviation with others.” Based in Utah, Ryan considers his st… Jessica Hayes Read More »
What Happens When It’s Time to Pull the Ripcord? July 26, 2023 Written by Northern California Wing Leader Gil Takemori It was turning out to be one of those missions that you wouldn’t soon forget. I was at the airport, pre-flighted and ready to go when I discovered that my patients were running about an hour late for our departure. No problem, I’ll just wait at the terminal and catch up on some emails and reading. About 90 minutes later, they arrived a little worse for wear due to t… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Spotlight on a Board Member: Meet Eric Chadwick July 25, 2023 With a longstanding interest in aviation, Eric went on a discovery flight in 2018 and was instantly hooked. “Angel Flight West was on my mind from the very first day of flight training,” says Eric. “I knew aviation was not accessible to everyone and that learning to fly would be a great way to further my philanthropic ambitions. During training, I was focused on building time to meet the 250-hour AFW requirement for Com… Jessica Hayes Read More »
Four Siblings Fly to Deaf Camp with Volunteer Pilots June 5, 2023 A father of two small children, volunteer pilot Ori Zaitzman appreciates that his AFW missions can be tailored to fit his busy life. Last summer he flew two young brothers, Jaxon and Jaden, to Lions Wilderness Deaf Camp — a haven where deaf and hard-of-hearing children learn outdoor skills and form invaluable friendships. “I asked the passengers’ family if they wanted me to bring my puppy,” Ori said. “They wer… Jessica Hayes Read More »
