January, 2001 newsletter

Missions of mercy

By Bill Starrs, Founder, Pilots for Christ International

Three reasons most frequently given for not flying missions of mercy are: (1) "I don’t belong to a chapter that supports this activity;" (2) "I don’t own an airplane" and (3) "I’m not sure if I’m qualified."

Here is a possible solution: If you know a person who is in need of our services, you could contact PCI headquarters and make the need known. Inform them that a flight is needed from Timbuc 1 to Timbuc 2, a distance of 400 miles on the first of every month. The patient is ambulatory and requires no special equipment. Tell them you are willing to rent an aircraft for this flight. Ask if there is a pilot who can help by splitting the cost. Perhaps you don’t own an aircraft, but you may rent one an hour a week, just to bore holes in the sky. Instead, you could rent a plane, possibly a Cessna 172, for this mission and share the cost and flying with a pilot in your area.

Are you qualified? I know there is a considerable difference of opinion on requirements. Most organizations set a minimum of somewhere between 200 and 500 hours of pilot-in-command time. Some even require an instrument rating. I personally question these requirements. If the FAA considers you safe enough to carry passengers and you regularly carry the most precious cargo of all, your family, then I think you are qualified to fly missions of mercy. All of this goes without saying that you obey all regulations and use the same common sense that you use to protect your family.

Do you need extra insurance? In most cases, no. As you are not charging or accepting payment, your regular insurance covers your passengers. Headquarters can provide you with release forms, which offer further protection. Your passenger waives his right, before flying, to sue. This, of course, offers no protection if you do an unlawful thing like flying into IFR weather when you or your plane are not qualified.

I would like to hear from you and get your ideas on the subject. Hopefully, we can get some procedures in place in the near future. My phone number is (520) 443-0638 and my email address, is . You may write me at 110 N. Alarcon, Apt 5, Prescott, AZ 86301

Next article: What is it like to fly a mercy mission?

January 2001 Contents