Fly it Forward: How Pilots Can Volunteer Their Time and Skills

Pilots have a very unique skill set that can do much to help improve the lives of others. In the spirit of giving back, here’s a list of great volunteer pilot organizations that may inspire you to go wheels up for a good cause.

Brigade Air, Inc., is a Christian youth mentoring program that encourages young people to serve in the arena of missionary aviation. Established in 2000, Brigade Air has educated more than 2,100 campers in a total of 96 summer camp weeks over the last seven years. For more information, visit brigadeair.org.

Emergency Volunteer Air Corp (EVAC) organizes general aviation pilots, amateur radio operators and other aviation personnel to supplement existing emergency personnel and organizations during a fire, earthquake, hurricane and other major public emergencies. For more information, visit EVAC online.

Fly for the Cure is a non-profit organization located in Westfield, NY that provides pleasure trips to cancer sufferers and survivors across the country. Fly for the Cure is also involved in fundraising and promoting cancer awareness with an emphasis on the need for cancer screening and early detection. Visit fly4thecure.org to read more.

LIGA (The Flying Doctors of Mercy): Since 1934, the Flying Doctors of Mercy have been creating miracles deep in the heart of México, where only the employed can afford medical and dental care. With modern donated equipment, LIGA volunteers treat tens of thousands of people every year, and provide millions of dollars in services to the local peoples. Audiologists, physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, anesthetists, nurses, translators and others from all corners of the globe, depart in aircraft from California, Arizona and Nevada for their flights to historic El Fuerte in the State of Sinaloa, México.
ligainternational.org

Pilots and Paws Pet Rescue is a non-profit organization that pairs pet rescue volunteers with pilot plane owners willing to assist with the transportation of rescued animals. Pilots and Paws helps arrange and schedule rescue flights, overnight foster care, shelter care and other related activities. To learn more, go to pilotsnpaws.org.

Volunteer Pilots Association: The Volunteer Pilots Association provides free air transport for qualified patients who are in financial need. Pilots provide free air transport in privately owned, single-engine or twin-engine, piston-powered aircraft. VPA is not an ambulance service and pilots are neither trained nor permitted to provide medical assistance.

Wings of Mercy: Over the last 21 years, 6,300 Wings of Mercy (WoM) flights have connected needy patients to medical care. Founded by Peter VandenBosch, WoM pilots fly patients to doctors and specialists they otherwise would not have the financial means to reach. Wings of Mercy reimburses the owners of the aircrafts for consumed fuel and oil, but the rewards for the volunteering pilots go far beyond that.
Wingsofmercy.org

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