Angel Flight Central

Mission Request

Step 1. Mission Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in Angel Flight Central®. We look forward to assisting you with your travel needs. Please make your request for transportation using this convenient form, but before you begin, please review the acceptance criteria below and make sure that you meet all the stated requirements.

Acceptance Criteria for Angel Flight Central

Our mission is to arrange transportation on behalf of people in need for the purpose of access to medical care or for reasons of compassion or community service.

The decision to accept a patient/passenger for an Angel Flight Central mission depends on a number of factors, including medical stability, financial need, distance, and other considerations. Safety is always paramount in considering each request. Each case is considered individually by the Angel Flight Central Mission Coordination Team. Angel Flight Central reserves the right to refuse any request for a mission that does not meet the qualifying criteria and standards for charitable aviation.

Origin of Requests. Angel Flight Central qualifies and screens all passengers before their 1st mission. Qualified mission requests may be submitted by a social worker, doctor, or other individual who can verify the health condition and financial need of the prospective passenger. Passengers who request a mission directly must provide verification of financial need from an objective third party. Subsequent mission requests are evaluated for feasibility.

Financial Need. Passengers must have some financial need as verified by a social worker, discharge planner, doctor, clergyman, etc. or live in a remote area without easy access to commercial airports, or be immuno-compromised to an extent that does not allow their being around large numbers of people.

Distance. The normal distance for a single leg flight is approximately 250-300 miles. Longer distance requests may be possible by linking flights, up to a maximum of 1,000 miles. Trips over 1,000 miles are referred to NPATH: 800-296-1217.

Advance Notice. Flight requests must be submitted a minimum of 5 business days prior to the desired date of flight. Very rarely are we able to coordinate missions in less time due to volunteer availability.

Mobility. All passengers must be able to walk and step up 18-20 inches to board and disembark the aircraft with limited assistance. Passengers will need to bend over to enter and exit. Passengers must sit upright in a standard aircraft seat for the duration of the flight. Non-ambulatory children who can be transferred in and out of the aircraft by a parent or guardian will be considered.

Appointment dates and times. The date and time of a passenger's medical appointment must be provided before a mission can be set up. If a passenger's appointment is scheduled for early in the day they may need to travel the day before. Late afternoon appointments may require an overnight stay. The flight distance and location may influence when a mission can be set up.

Medical Status/Medical Release. All passengers must be medically stable, ambulatory, and able to sit upright in a standard aircraft seat. No medical assistance is provided on board. The Angel Flight "Medical Approval for Transportation on Small Aircraft" must be completed and faxed from the doctor to Angel Flight Central stating that the passenger is medically stable and able to fly in a non-pressurized aircraft. The release is valid for up to one year or until medical circumstances change. Passengers who are known to be combative or in any way interfere with the flight will not be transported.

Luggage/Medical Equipment. The total weight of all items flown must be less than 50 pounds. Luggage should be soft-sided. The total amount of luggage and equipment must be kept to a minimum of 50 pounds for all passengers combined. Children's wheelchairs, strollers and all walkers should be collapsible. Oversized luggage and adult wheelchairs will not fit in a small aircraft.

Compassionate Flights. Angel Flight Central accepts requests for compassion flights on a case-by-case basis. Passengers with a financial need may request transportation to be with someone going through a medical event or to attend a conference about their illness. All Compassion Missions must be approved by the Missions Team.

Funerals. It is the policy of Angel Flight Central not to fly individuals to funerals.

Aircraft/Liability. Planes used for patient missions are privately owned or rented by the pilot. They are single or twin-engine planes. Height as well as individual and combined passenger weight are critical in small aircraft and are part of the qualifying process. All passengers must provide a photo ID and sign a liability release before flight. Angel Flight Central reserves the right to refuse any request for a mission that does not meet the qualifying criteria or standards for charitable aviation.

If you would prefer to make your request by mail or fax, you can download our Assistance Request Packet by clicking here, which includes a request form as well as all the information presented here. (You will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this document.)

If you meet all the above criteria, we welcome your request and look forward to assisting you with your travel needs. Please check "Yes" below and continue with the request process. If you are not sure if you meet these criteria, or wish to speak with one of our mission coordinators, please call toll-free 1-877-621-7177 or send an email to wings@angelflightcentral.org.