Rating to Transport People Voluntarily

NW_PILOT wrote:
[snip]
I can understand the Flight time requirements and the insurance requirements
but to pay a mandatory annual fee I do not understand?

As stated on the Angel Flight web site "The cost to join is only $50, and
the annual dues are $35" I can understand charging non pilots a membership
fee but pilots that provide a volunteer service should not be charged. I bet
if they did not charge pilots these fees they would get a lot more pilots
volunteering.

Betcha it wouldn't.

I just joined Angel Flight Central. Never was told of or have seen a
bill/fee. Better not.


"Blanche" wrote in message
...
NW_PILOT wrote:
[snip]
I can understand the Flight time requirements and the insurance
requirements
but to pay a mandatory annual fee I do not understand?

As stated on the Angel Flight web site "The cost to join is only $50, and
the annual dues are $35" I can understand charging non pilots a
membership
fee but pilots that provide a volunteer service should not be charged. I
bet
if they did not charge pilots these fees they would get a lot more pilots
volunteering.

Betcha it wouldn't.

I fly for Angel Flight Northeast and they do not charge a yearly fee.
Even if they did charge $35, I'd still pay it.

Pete


"Steven Barnes" wrote in message
news
I just joined Angel Flight Central. Never was told of or have seen a
bill/fee. Better not.

Blanche wrote
As stated on the Angel Flight web site "The cost to join is only $50, and
the annual dues are $35" I can understand charging non pilots a membership
fee but pilots that provide a volunteer service should not be charged. I bet
if they did not charge pilots these fees they would get a lot more pilots
volunteering.

Betcha it wouldn't.

AFSC does not have a fee to join. If they did, I would not have joined.

But hey, no great loss, I've only flown about 40 missions.

Michael

Michael ) wrote:

AFSC does not have a fee to join. If they did, I would not have joined.

Since you mentioned that you would not have joined had there been a
fee, may I ask why?

Having flown 40 missions, you certainly know of the overhead involved
not only in coordinating missions, but also in administrating the
volunteer pilots (maintaining proof-of-insurance, etc).


--
Peter

Peter R. wrote
Having flown 40 missions, you certainly know of the overhead involved
not only in coordinating missions, but also in administrating the
volunteer pilots (maintaining proof-of-insurance, etc).

First, I resent being told I MUST pay. So do lots of other people.
I'm paying for the entire flight out of my own pocket; to expect me to
also pony up cash is just too much.

Second, I think much of the administration is bull****. In fact, as
far as I'm concerned the ONLY part that is not bull**** is the process
of scheduling missions. Period.

I think that maintaining proof of insurance, procedures manuals,
checkouts, and similar nonsense is - well - nonsense. I think people
who fly for Angel Flight are inherently responsible and will make sure
they're doing it right - the safety record certainly supports that. I
think that liability insurance only makes us a target.

Michael

Michael ) wrote:

First, I resent being told I MUST pay. So do lots of other people.
I'm paying for the entire flight out of my own pocket; to expect me to
also pony up cash is just too much.
snip

So, having experienced almost fifty flights where you made a
*significant difference* in the quality of life for several patients and
their families, are you saying you would quit tomorrow if a tax-
deductible, mid two-digit yearly fee were imposed?

Hmmm. I agree with you in principle. However, in this case I see the
greater good in what my volunteering means to those less fortunate and
would not be deterred by a fee that sets me back one dinner at a
restaurant (minus the wine) per year.

--
Peter

Peter R. wrote
So, having experienced almost fifty flights where you made a
*significant difference* in the quality of life for several patients and
their families, are you saying you would quit tomorrow if a tax-
deductible, mid two-digit yearly fee were imposed?

I might or might not, but I can tell you for sure that had that fee
been there from day one I would never have flown the first mission.
I'm sure there are lots of others like me. People who think that
those who won't pay the fee to join are just cheapskates who won't
contribute much anyway are just kidding themselves. It's costing them
pilots.

The reality is that the vast majority of the expense of operating
Angel Flight is borne by the pilots themselves. Trying to shift more
of the burden onto the pilots with these fees is simply obnoxious in
my opinion, and I don't have to put up with it.

And of course this is not the only option I have for doing things that
make a difference. No matter which way I turn, there are people who
need help, and thus I see no need to patronize obnoxious
administrators to help people.

Hmmm. I agree with you in principle.

And if Angel Flight is not about principle, what is it about?

Michael

(Michael) wrote in
om:

AFSC does not have a fee to join. If they did, I would not have
joined.

But hey, no great loss, I've only flown about 40 missions.

I assume you meant that last line jokingly... 40 missions is a hell of a
great contribution. That's a lot of people you've helped, and you can be
very proud of it.

We have a few folks (very few) who are really incredible and fly 50 or 60
missions PER YEAR. That's wonderful. And we have a LOT MORE (the vast
majority) who fly a couple of missions a year. Some are students who have
to collect empty pop bottles along the side of the rode for six months in
order to get enough money for a few hours of aircraft rental in order to
fly a mission. Each and every one of those flights help someone, and we
are most grateful and happy to have every one of those pilots.

jmk