Air Care Alliance
Encyclopedia
The Air Care Alliance is an American
group founded in 1990 that acts as an umbrella organization
for Public Benefit Flying (PBF) organizations. PBF organization members use their aircraft to transport needy patient
s and to assist in disaster relief. Most PBF members are volunteer pilots, thus many PBFs are also called Volunteer Pilot Organizations (VPO). The ACA website Listings Page is the only place where all such groups are listed for the benefit of patients, social workers, medical referral groups, agencies needing assistance, or the volunteer pilots who wish to find all groups they might want to join.
The Air Care Alliance exists to promote Public Benefit Flying so that patients and others can learn about the services provided by volunteer pilots and charitable aviation groups. ACA also encourages communications and cooperation among PBF organizations in order that their members share experiences and learn from one another. ACA has held annual "Air Care" conferences since 1990 where leaders in Public Benefit Flying gather to meet one another and learn the latest about this charitable activity.
Most Public Benefit Flying organizations are chartered as non-profit organization
s, permitting their members to take the costs of a flight as a charitable donation. The groups generally do not offer flying services themselves, rather they connect someone seeking a flight with a pilot or pilots willing to provide it.
. The Air Care Alliance was created to share PBF resources and coordinate efforts.
, LifeLine Pilots, Volunteer Pilots Association
, and many more.
Some PBF organizations specialize in disaster and emergency preparedness. Their pilots fly surveillance
missions, send data back to emergency operations centers, transport emergency workers and supplies, and fly search and rescue missions. Examples include the largest PBF group, the Civil Air Patrol
, and the Emergency Volunteer Air Corps (EVAC). The Air Care Alliance has provided seminars on emergency preparedness conducted by EVAC representatives and others, and now most member PBF organizations have an auxiliary mission of providing relief missions when the need arises.
Some PBF organizations provide very specialized service. These include organizations whose pilots fly environmental support missions, such as LightHawk and SouthWings, and groups whose pilots fly terminally ill children on Make-A-Wish and similar flights. Some PBF organizations are also given commercial airline tickets and allocate them to needy individuals.
. Often a physician's signoff is required, along with that of a social worker at a medical facility attesting to financial need. There are also two groups who do fly non-ambulatory (stretcher) patients, and one group has a fully certified charitable air ambulance.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
group founded in 1990 that acts as an umbrella organization
Umbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...
for Public Benefit Flying (PBF) organizations. PBF organization members use their aircraft to transport needy patient
Patient
A patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, veterinarian, or other health care provider....
s and to assist in disaster relief. Most PBF members are volunteer pilots, thus many PBFs are also called Volunteer Pilot Organizations (VPO). The ACA website Listings Page is the only place where all such groups are listed for the benefit of patients, social workers, medical referral groups, agencies needing assistance, or the volunteer pilots who wish to find all groups they might want to join.
The Air Care Alliance exists to promote Public Benefit Flying so that patients and others can learn about the services provided by volunteer pilots and charitable aviation groups. ACA also encourages communications and cooperation among PBF organizations in order that their members share experiences and learn from one another. ACA has held annual "Air Care" conferences since 1990 where leaders in Public Benefit Flying gather to meet one another and learn the latest about this charitable activity.
Most Public Benefit Flying organizations are chartered as non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s, permitting their members to take the costs of a flight as a charitable donation. The groups generally do not offer flying services themselves, rather they connect someone seeking a flight with a pilot or pilots willing to provide it.
History
In 1990, the first national conference of public benefit flying organizations, AIR MED 90, was organized by Bill Worden, an ACA founder, at the headquarters of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots AssociationAircraft Owners and Pilots Association
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is a Frederick, Maryland-based non-profit political organization. Incorporated on 15 May 1939, AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States...
. The Air Care Alliance was created to share PBF resources and coordinate efforts.
How service is provided
While the Air Care Alliance lists PBF organizations, it does not arrange missions itself. A person or group needing air support services refers to the Air Care Alliance listings and chooses one or more organizations serving its geographic area and type of mission. The representative then contacts those BPF organizations directly.PBF missions
Many PBF organizations have a primary mission of helping patients get to distant locations when the patients cannot afford other transport, a drive would be too long, or circumstances prevent commercial airline flight. BPF organizations that provide these services include Angel FlightAngel Flight
Angel Flight is the name used by a number of groups whose members provide free transportation for needy patients and perform other missions of community service...
, LifeLine Pilots, Volunteer Pilots Association
Volunteer Pilots Association
The Volunteer Pilots Association is an American Public Benefit Flying group founded in 1990. The Volunteer Pilots Association provides free non-emergency air transportation to and from medical appointments for patients with a financial need. Headquartered in southwestern Pennsylvania, the VPA is...
, and many more.
Some PBF organizations specialize in disaster and emergency preparedness. Their pilots fly surveillance
Surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
missions, send data back to emergency operations centers, transport emergency workers and supplies, and fly search and rescue missions. Examples include the largest PBF group, the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
, and the Emergency Volunteer Air Corps (EVAC). The Air Care Alliance has provided seminars on emergency preparedness conducted by EVAC representatives and others, and now most member PBF organizations have an auxiliary mission of providing relief missions when the need arises.
Some PBF organizations provide very specialized service. These include organizations whose pilots fly environmental support missions, such as LightHawk and SouthWings, and groups whose pilots fly terminally ill children on Make-A-Wish and similar flights. Some PBF organizations are also given commercial airline tickets and allocate them to needy individuals.
Requirements for service
The requirements for patients for flights and for the volunteer pilots who might provide them vary considerably from group to group. Patients typically must demonstrate financial or other compelling need. Generally they must also be ambulatoryAmbulatory
The ambulatory is the covered passage around a cloister. The term is sometimes applied to the procession way around the east end of a cathedral or large church and behind the high altar....
. Often a physician's signoff is required, along with that of a social worker at a medical facility attesting to financial need. There are also two groups who do fly non-ambulatory (stretcher) patients, and one group has a fully certified charitable air ambulance.
External links
- Air Care Alliance website
- AOPA Online: Compassion in Action at www.aopa.org AirLifeLine article, 2001, at www.aopa.org
- The Pilot's Lounge #88: The Air Care Alliance -- Helping Those Who Fly to Help Others at www.avweb.com AVweb article on Air Care Alliance, 2005 (registration required to view full article)
- AOPA Online: Hurricane Katrina relief efforts: How you can help at www.aopa.org Air Care Alliance support during Hurricane Katrina