Angel Flight coordinates non-emergency flights for patients and families around Australia in medical and financial need.
Pilots donate their time and aircraft, Airservices reimburse Navigation charges, many airports waive landing charges and public donations purchase fuel for the missions.
There are many Civil Air Members & Air Traffic Controllers who are Angel Flights volunteers - some ground Angels and some donating their aircraft and piloting skills and experience to the cause.
For example, after 3 months of tireless pavement pounding and organising, Rockhampton ATC and Civilair member, Sally Drury hosted a fundraising event for Angel Flight on Friday 7th September 2007.
Held in conjunction with the Rockhampton Aero Club, over 150 people attended the night to hear Bill Bristow, the founder of Angel Flight, speak passionately about this cause. Throughout the night there was live entertainment, raffles and an auction, culminating with Sally and 7 others running the clippers over their heads. Proceeds and donations from the evening have so far totalled over $13000, well beyond Sally’s expectations, with Airservices sizeable donation on its way.
Pictured L-R are Dave Tempest (Associate Member), Sally Drury (Civil Air Member RK TWR), Bill Bristow (Angel Flight Founder) and David Horn. (Civil Air Member RK TWR).
Sydney Ground Angel : Rory Delaney
"My interest in Angel Flight first started after hearing the callsign used on Sydney Radar." explains Rory Delaney, Civil Air Member from Sydney Approach."A few minutes of online research and I'd discovered a new charity that desperately needed helpers - both in the air and on the ground. Having had a personal history with Ronald McDonald House< it seemed a neat convergance of two areas of my life so I signed up to help as an Earth Angel" .
As the name suggests, Rorys role with Angel Flight is firmly on the ground (apart from one adventure to Broken Hill - see photo). 
Earth Angels are primarily the taxi service to connect the airport terminal with the city hospital or accommodation facility for the patient and carer(s).
As with pilots, optional extra duties include local fundraising and public speaking. Earth Angel volunteering is perfect for shiftworkers like ATCs: there is no obligation for set duty times, as all work is allocated on an email offer/bid system.
"I just pick off those missions that fit around my work roster. As an ATC I've also taken the opportunity on a couple of occassions to provide a group briefing to Angel Flight pilots (see photo below), many who rarely get anywhere near class C airspace let alone a busy GAAP like Bankstown, where they get a few "insider tips" plus a chance to meet some of the BK tower controllers" .
60 seconds showing how Angel Flight overcomes the tyranny of distance:
(click twice)
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