From Cheri’s Desk: A Reflection on 24 Years November 18, 2021 Each year around this time, I tend to look back at my years here with AFW. As I pass the 24-year mark, memories of passengers past and present come to mind. But something that always makes me smile is thinking about those passengers who have been flying with us for many, many years. It is some of these folks who are the reason behind why we all care so much about what we do for AFW. That is true for staff and volunteers alike… Cheri Cimmarrusti Read More »
In the Hangar: Meet AFW’s 3 new Board Members! November 18, 2021 Christy DeYoung is Founder and President of Jet RVSM Services, LLC, an Oregon based aviation services company. Jet RVSM combines regulatory expertise and technical writing to assist aircraft operators with international special airspace and equipment authorizations, safety management systems and related flight department FAA-compliance activities. Christy graduated from UC Davis with a BA in English an… Kaitlyn McQuown Read More »
Spotlight on an Angel: Command Pilot Chris Bennett November 18, 2021 To Command Pilot Chris Bennett, an Angel Flight represents more than a simple drop-off. Since he began flying missions in February of 2014, he has developed meaningful friendships with passengers who fly regularly with him. Two of these passengers are Eileen and Tiffany: two women in different walks of life, with different personalities, traveling for different reasons and for different treatments, but both ha… Kaitlyn McQuown Read More »
Communications Corner: The perfect setting for a story to be born November 18, 2021 An Angel Flight is the perfect setting for a story to be born. As a passenger and a pilot glide together above the clouds, looking down over landmarks, nature, and bustling cities or quiet countrysides, they connect in the air for a fleeting moment, as if time has stopped. The worries of both navigator and traveler are left on the ground for just a while, if ever so brief. In the case of Angel Flight West, that moment is part… Kaitlyn McQuown Read More »
AFW Safety: Flying at Night – Laser Dangers November 18, 2021 The team at Angel Flight West hope you are enjoying the fall season! Recently I did a mission from San Diego to Imperial in the Eclipse. It was a beautiful IFR departure through low level clouds out of Montgomery (MYF) then quickly over the clouds, watching the bright moon which my passengers and I enjoyed. Twenty minutes later I was landing on Runway 32 at Imperial (IPL). The airport can blend in with the surrounding lig… Rich Pickett Read More »
Angel Flight West Ascends Past 90,000 Missions November 18, 2021 In a quiet moment, pilot Jon Lange looks back from the cockpit of his Socata/TBM 700. Jon is one of 1,800 volunteer pilots who fly for Angel Flight West, and today he’s setting a milestone: this flight is the charitable aviation organization’s 90,000th mission. His passenger, Jenny, is gazing out the window at the clouds in wonder alongside her sister-in-law Alejandra. It’s Jenny’s first time i… Kaitlyn McQuown Read More »
What Angel Flight West Passengers Don’t Say September 29, 2021 Understanding Our Passengers Upon finding a pilot for an Angel Flight West (AFW) mission, the AFW staff frequently calls the passenger only to hear. “I never heard from a pilot, so I scraped together money from friends and family to buy a commercial ticket,” or “I started driving yesterday,” or even, “I canceled my appointments.” This type of response is really frustrating, both for staff and pilots. We work hard to… wagadmin Read More »
Collision Avoidance – “Trust, but Verify” September 29, 2021 Stay Alert, and Don’t Get Complacent Relying on Controllers During my 44 years and 6,000 + hours as a pilot, there have been several near-miss experiences. The really close ones stick in my mind, much as any near-death experience would. Typically the close encounters occur while VFR in VMC. But occasionally we encounter a too-close call while IFR in IMC, just as one happened to me yesterday. I was on my way from SMO to… wagadmin Read More »
Mountain Flying September 29, 2021 Are you a mountain pilot? You probably are even if you aren’t aware of it. In most of Angel Flight West’s territory we encounter many, or even all, of the characteristics of mountain flying even though we may not be flying in the classical “back country.” AFW Pilots routinely fly over some of the most inhospitable terrain in the United States. On practically every flight, particularly during the summer, you can exp… wagadmin Read More »
Palo Alto Airport (KPAO) of Santa Clara County, CA September 29, 2021 Located close to Stanford Hospital and Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto Airport (KPAO) is an often used Angel Flight West mission destination. Only a short distance from the San Francisco bay, this sea-level airport’s tower is in operation from 0700 to 2100 local. There are nine other airports within 20 NM, including Moffett Federal Airfield, just four nm SE, and San Carlos (SQL) seven miles NW. PA… wagadmin Read More »
Declaring an Emergency September 29, 2021 Gather a room full of pilots and ask them the following questions: How many of you have had an emergency while in flight? How many of you have declared an emergency? How many of you have had to complete any post-emergency “paperwork?” The answers are usually: A few, a few less, and zero. That’s right, most people who declare an emergency never face the dreaded “paperwork” that everyone fears. Take me, for example. Onc… wagadmin Read More »
Density Altitude September 29, 2021 All pilots learn about density altitude yet most pilots never experience the truly detrimental effect it can have. Brian, a friend of mine, flying a Piper Cherokee 160 and carrying all of his camping gear was on his way to OSH a few years ago. He landed at in Butte, Montana to refuel. It was a clear day and the temperatures was reasonable at about 85 degrees. The runway was much longer than the sea level airport he was b… wagadmin Read More »
Non-Tower Airport Operations September 29, 2021 Since there is a high likelihood that at least one airport on most missions is uncontrolled or non-towered, we’d like to share some thoughts on uncontrolled airport operations. If you haven’t flown into an airport before (towered or non-towered), familiarize yourself using all available resources including AF/M, Jepps, pilot guides, local instructors, etc.. Don’t forget to review all applicable NOTAMs as w… wagadmin Read More »
Required Reports September 29, 2021 In the course of my activities as a Flight Instructor and Mission Orientation Pilot, I take some time to review various pilot reporting requirements. One of the many things I’ve learned is that some pilots are somewhat reluctant to declare an emergency when the circumstances dictate, at least partially because of concern for “all the paperwork” involved. I have yet to talk to any pilot who has declared an emergenc… wagadmin Read More »
Be Prepared September 29, 2021 Angel Flight West believes that we should share what we learn about our missions and the airports we visit so that we can learn from each other. So, with that in mind… A couple of years ago I was flying a young man to Quincy, CA (2O1), an airport located near his home in the mountains of Northern California. Quincy has no weather reporting, no instrument approach, and is located deep in a narrow valley. The weather was ni… wagadmin Read More »
