Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some information/insight into Angel Flight West and I figured that there has to be at least a few of you that are involved with it. I am getting to the point that some tax write offs are needed and I figure that not only would this be doing something good, but it would also be money that I can spend on flying and using my skills to help people out.

In reading through the material on Angel Flight West’s website, I have some questions. In comparing them to the other Angel Flights around the country, they seem to be the most “structured”…almost to the point of overkill. Also, from what I can see, they are the only ones that charge a yearly dues fee. In looking at their financials on their website, it sure seems like there is a lot of money moving in and out…some of which isn’t clearly defined. Dues from their 1,900 members alone are a sizable amount. I understand that an organization of any size will have operating costs, but I thought that these seemed pretty excessive. Does a charity really need over a million dollars in assets?

I guess in my mind some of the other Angel Flights are more in line with what I expected to find. Most have you fill out an application and, so long as you met the minimum requirements, you would be added to the pilot data base. One of them charged a one time fee of $25 to process the application, which is reasonable.

Anyway, I know that it is all deductible and is a relative small amount. I guess I just curious what the money is really being used for since all the flying is donated. So, for those of you involved, could you give me your take on the organization? How is it run? What do you like about it? What don’t you like about it, etc.? What expenses can you write off for tax purposes? If the customer’s departure/arrival airport is not your home base, can you write off the legs getting to and from that airport and your home airport?

Thanks,
GSP

A worthy cause to be sure. You raise some good questions that I can't answer, your accountant is the best bet. If he is wrong you have some recourse vs. getting free internet advise!
Sorry about your needing additional write-offs.

How about Veterans Airlift or Pilots N Paws?

http://www.veteransairlift.org/

http://pilotsnpaws.org/

Or................
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/

I fly Angel Flight missions whenever I can. I have flown Cancer patients and family , kidney camp staff, blood from blood drives, and blood drive staff.

The Cancer patients are special. Without Angel Flight or something similar it would be very difficult for them to get from remote locations in Washington, Idaho, and Montana for their treatments.

If you look here: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.c ... rgid=10440 you will see only a very small portion of AFW's funding goes for administration or fund raising. Almost all the income goes to the missions.

When we private pilots cannot get it done, AFW works with the airlines to get the patients on commercial flights.

AFW, in my mind, is a very worthwhile organization. Not only do you get a write off, but you feel good about yourself as well.

TD

Thanks for the info. I guess that is originally one of the things that I was trying to figure out: What are "program expenses"?

TomD, since you fly for AFW, can you give me some answers as to the expenses that are deductible? Specifically, I was wondering if "deadhead" legs are deductible. For example, say you base out of city A, but the mission is from B to C. Is the flight from A to B and from C back to A deductible?

Thanks,
GSP

My understanding is that repositioning the aircraft in order to pick up a patient or return the aircraft to its base is considered part of the mission.

When you file a flight plan you file as "Angel flight last part of N-number" for example "Angel Flight 81E". You maintain that flight plan identifier until you are at home base. This gives you a record w/ the FAA flight service of the entire mission.

TD

That's kind of what I figured. Thanks for the reply Tom!

I'm Defanatly going to join. Don't have the mins yet. Hopefully I'll have my comm this summer. No plane of my own yet either.

Next in line... I did six missions last year for Grace Flight SC which is the SC chapter of AF. There are at least two full time employees who are essential to the operation in my opinion. One is the planning coordinator who organizes all the requests and missions. The other is the current operations coordinator who runs the transition from air to ground transportation at Houston for M.D. Anderson hospital. This is the destination for 90% of the passengers that are carried.

We have no dues. If you meet the requirements and attend a conference call orientation, then you are on the roster. They asked for donations this year because they were going to loose the two emoployees for lack of funding. From my observations (this is simply my opinion) this would cripple the program. I donated some funds and in the end there was enough apreciation and donation from the pilots and ground transportation volunteers to keep these two employees for the rest of the year.

I have to admit now that my motives for participating aren't completely altruistic. The missions have filled the void I've felt for conducting mission oriented flying after being relegated to a nonflying job 2-years ago. The only problem I've seen with the missions was when I had two bounces getting on the ground in Slidell, LA. You can imagine my passenger's relief when they got out of my 53' 180 to climb into a 2009 Cirrus SRblahblahblah. I wonder if they found 200 kts and a smooth landing in the Cirrus more enjoyable than getting off the ground in 500 foot takeoff roll and rollercoaster ride on landing in my 180.

Brett.

Grassstrippilot,

Thank you for offering your services and aircraft. Probably little you will ever do professionally will compare with the sense of meaningfullnes that will come from the Angel Flights.

Upon retiring from the airline nearly 4 years ago... my continued existance seemed somewhat devoid of meaningful purpose beyond the love of my family, for a while. I "found myself" once again when I became a volunteer pilot for a humanitarian charity here in Missouri. Of course you are young with a very full life. So your contribution is truely unselfish.

At our charity we fly over 350 patients each year in a totally free Medical Air Transport Service, utilizing a C-206, Seneca III and a Piper Chieftian. Additionally many of the hospitals, doctors, nurses and staff, who treat our patients, contribute their services for free. Ronald McDonald House often provides overnight lodging for the families and the Shriners provide surface transportation, gifts and food. There is much more to our charity, including 153 aircraft in 43 nations, with volunteers helping the indigenous peoples of the thrird word.... over 600 volunteers world wide and only SIX PAID EMPLOYEES! During the Medical Air Transport flights....I've carried everything from infants needing life saving surgery to WW-2 Vets.....coming home to die.

I have strayed here. Please forgive me. So anyway I donate about 250 pilot flight hours each year without any tax benefit whatsoever. Of course the cost to me is limited to my transportation to and from our home base. Neither do I use my personal airplane, a significant contribution in and of itself..... as you will with the Angel Flights.

Best Wishes in your effort. Our nation needs a few million more caring persons like yourself...who are willing to give of themselves and their talents. Your reward will be one of great emotional and spiritual satisfaction....while doing something that we all love.

Thank you,

Bob

I am enjoying this post. Thanks to those who are contributing information here.

Could anyone speak to the effectiveness of someone like me wanting to be involved? Specifically, the limits a VFR pilot and plane has trying to meet a schedule. I can see it being a challenge trying to be helpful and getting good weather too......?

From what I have read, the PIC makes the call and it is understood that there will sometimes be cancellations. For in our area, I think one should be able to have a pretty good idea of the chances without waiting to the last minute. Personally, I won't fly IFR in the intermountain west in the GA planes I have available to me. I think you'd be fine as a VFR only pilot.

Z3,

Thanks for the kind words. I hope I can make it work out...especially with another child on the way. I figured it would be a good cause and reason to fly. Maybe drag my little boy along as he gets older too. Time doing good and spending it with my son while flying, can't get better than that.

Grassstrippilot wrote:Z3,

Maybe drag my little boy along as he gets older too. Time doing good and spending it with my son while flying, can't get better than that.

My now five year old son loves to fly. I took him on a grace flight when he was four just to include him. I asked the patient to make sure they didn't mind. I was up with approach IFR and on top when I missed a call. On the second call my son recognized our call sign (30C) and alerted me, "Daddy, their calling you." Was a fun moment for all of us.

Brett