By Parker McKenzie and Callum Ludwig
A local Seville pilot has flown over 80 flights with a charity group dedicated to delivering people to the medical treatment they wouldn’t otherwise be able to receive.
Setting off on his flights from Coldstream, Bob Boyd said he has been conducting trips with Angel Flights since about 2010, during which he has made over 80 flights to help people in remote areas.
“It makes an obvious difference for them. It’s part of the attraction of doing it for me, the thanks that some people have given me is amazing,” he said.
“It also means I get to partake more in my passion, to be able to get in an aeroplane and go and take people places.”
Angel Flight coordinates non-emergency flights to help country people deal with bad health, poor finances, and long distances.
All the flights are free and may involve patients travelling to medical facilities across the country.
Mr Boyd said there have been a few memorable flights from over a decade of volunteering for Angel Flights.
“I remember a patient with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder whose dog was trained to recognise changes in his mood. When he had to fly to an appointment, we picked up his dog and took him in the back of the aeroplane with him,” he said.
“I also remember a lady from Marlo for who it took two days to take her son to an appointment in Melbourne as his condition meant the long drive left him too worn out so they had to stop overnight. It is only an hour and a half flight in the aeroplane.”
Angel Flight accepts and receives mission requests from a pool of over 3200 health professionals with a good knowledge of the patient’s medical condition before making the flight to support them.
Mr Boyd said that restrictions over the past two years made the demand for flights much quieter, but he still is involved regularly.
“People in need of medical appointments must have had to put up with less attention over the last couple of years because there have been fewer flights offered. I probably get out every six weeks,” he said.
” It might be two or three months between Angel Flights, just because they’re not available.
Angel Flight is funded through private donations from individuals, private businesses, clubs and service clubs, and deceased estates. Donations are used for the cost of fuel for planes, discounted commercial flights when poor weather stops light aircraft from flying and a flight support centre featuring four mission coordinators and two administrative staff.
Around 85 per cent of revenue is spent on coordination and delivery of flights to those in need.
Established in 2003 by Bill Bristow AM, the flights are conducted by volunteer pilots in their own aircraft, who operate Australia-wide.
Anyone seeking more information or looking to donate to Angel Flight can call them on 1300 726 567.
