Rotary Alexandra guest speaker Doug Carney, Spring Crk Rd resident for 40 years and Angel Flight volunteer pilot over 15 years, and for the last 6 years splitting his time between Alexandra and Tocumwal.
Angel Flight volunteers provide non-urgent transport for medical treatment at no cost to their passengers. The service is funded by donations, from service clubs and philanthropy
85% of funds raised is spent on aircraft fuel and airport fees, both of which are provided at discount from regular services, to support Angel Flight.
Only 15% of funds is spent on administrative expenses. The service has been operating in Australia for 20 years, after Bill Brewster, visiting the Osh-Kosh Air Show in 2003, saw a similar service in the US and could see potential benefits here too.
Initially it was expected that they would do approx. 800 flights a year. This has grown to 2000 flights a year. Pilots and drivers (land angels) donate their time, aircraft and vehicles to transport patients to appointments. Most of their customer have serious medical problems which cannot be managed in their local communities.
On his first flight for the service, Doug flew a patient from Mildura to the Austin Hospital for chemotherapy- a 2 hour flight instead of an 8 hour drive.
Why volunteer for Angel Flight?
Pilots love flying, and doing something worthwhile for someone doing it tough!
Doug has done 7 flights over the years. Pilots need to respond quickly as available flights are quickly allocated. Allocation depends on both pilot and aircraft certification, plane size, carrying capacity, instrumentation. Other cases Doug has transported include a lady returning from Moorabbin to Porepunkah 24 hours post cardiac stent ( 1 &1/4 hour flight vs 4 hours by car),
A couple from Casterton to Essendon so that the husband could receive a cochlear implant.
A day’s driving from the  outback Queensland town of Boulia to a major centre can be achieved in a 2 hour flight .

A wonderful service for our community supported by our club with a $1000 donation.