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RV-10 in Angel Flight Service

W

WrightsRV7

Well Known Member
One of my goals and use of the RV-10 (coming to life in my home/hanger) in the service of Angel Flight. It was correctly and politely pointed out to me that Angel Flight will not permit the use of Experimental Aircraft for moving clients to & from. I have contacted Angel Flight West and would like to make/build a case that RV-10's are a sub-class of experimental aircraft worth considering for use in Angel Flight (w/o restrictions). I do believe that perhaps a sub-class, like RV-10, could be approved for use in the service of Angel Flight, a good starting point I think.

I have 13 reports (12 ntsb) covering the RV-10 lifetime, 25% occurred within the 25/40 phase I testing...~15% were IFR pilot issues/problems, 1 door departure (no injuries), 1 with 20 h on rebuilt engine that went south, 1 auto fuel line hose/clamp failure leading to fire (no injuries), 1 really just unexplained (possible medical cause), 1 elevator bolt (TT 48 h in the air) with question of appropriate hardware in use, 1 with fuel starvation due to RTV blockage, and the latest with five souls lost in night flight, pilot having NO pilots license.

To me, a very impressive track record with kudos to Vans, the RV-10 community, and pilots who steer their ships into the air and down safely.

What I am asking for? I would like to hear your two to three sentence, okay maybe more, on an approach and/or rationale to use with the Angel Flight board of directors that will convey a positive & definite reason to give the RV-10 a shot at flying Angel flight missions (with people). This could include more PIC time, more time on the airframe, 200 hr fly off period, etc...what do you think would work...?? Inquiring minds want to hear, well at least I do...:)

Cheers, Mike
 
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You may also use other AF orgs. AF of Georgia, and AF of the Southeast allow experimentals. I was the first to be approved in my RV. It was quite a number of years ago but there were a number of requirements which i provided to them.

Not the answer you were seeking, but it is an avenue of support.
 
Thank you!

Precedence is a powerful ally, thank you, will follow up on the tip. And good for you, your just one of many reasons Vans Airforce is different (and best).

Cheers, Mike
 
Kahuna said:
You may also use other AF orgs. AF of Georgia, and AF of the Southeast allow experimentals. I was the first to be approved in my RV. It was quite a number of years ago but there were a number of requirements which i provided to them.

Not the answer you were seeking, but it is an avenue of support.
Click to expand...

Kahuna, can you share what information they needed from you? I'm also hoping to eventually use my -10 (when finished) for AF missions.
 
Precedents help

I have been flying Angel Flights for AF Soars (Georgia and Southeast) in my 10's and 7A for many years.

Vic
 
AF Australia had a CERTIFIED Piper with a non IFR pilot after dark kill a cured cancer kid and his mum a few years back in Victoria.

Not sure how that brings ABE aircraft into it but an audit by insurers and lawyers and look what happened in Australia! All of a sudden folk like me and airline captains in RV's and Lancairs with very current instrument ratings were knocked out because their highly reliable ABE aircraft were experiment not certified.

Big drop in AF safety as a result???but they went with it.

This might sound harsh??but given I would take the IFR jobs the VFR's rejected (and others) I reckon there is less safety today.

Stupid is what stupid does!
 
1001001 said:
Kahuna, can you share what information they needed from you? I'm also hoping to eventually use my -10 (when finished) for AF missions.
Click to expand...

When I spoke to their insurance company, who needed a bit of educating, it was a conversation on hang gliders, ultralights, and my plane. They had an image of some knuclehead in his garage flying a hang glider with a patient. I shared with them the plane, my hours, its capability, and mainly just conversation. IFR was a requirement, a copy of my insurance, and I believe they also had a 250 total time requirement as well. Once we spoke, they gave the green light. Also after the first few missions, I shared with them some pictures and write-ups of the patients and that was that.
 
RV-10 as aerial ambulance

My late wife Deb of 38 years marriage had a terrible cancer, multiple myeloma, that ultimately killed her. We lived in Peachtree City, Ga but the world's best treatment was at the Univ of Arkansas in Little Rock. For 3 1/2 years we commuted, often in solid IFR via RV-10 but occasionally in the 6A. It was 2:15-2:30 chock to chock typically.

Deb had 7 fractured vertabrae and lost 4 inches of height and was often in extreme pain. She had a lot of medical baggage and often the RV was packed to the gills. I would have a limo meet us at the other end to whisk us to treatments. This was to minimize exposure to others and possible infections. Most cabs are dirty!

Meanwhile, our classmates who came from all over the world using commercial aviation did not have it so easy. The planes were crowded with no access to needed medical supplies, and painful transfers to connecting flights.

The one commercial flight we did take had a zealous security agent require Deb to stand (7 fractures remember!) for about :15 minutes while he searched her wheel chair and person for explosives. It was all I could do to control my anger which would have probably landed me in jail and stranded Deb. (A fellow TSA agent caught up with us and apologized for the inspection forced on us.)

Yes, RVs are wonderful blessings for medical transport and many could benefit from that usage.

I want to again thank the Falcon RV group here in Peachtree City, and the Little Rock RV'ers who helped on both ends. Thanks to the FBO that provided free hangar space out there. Thanks to those who were always watching Flight Aware and who showed up to put fuel and put the plane away and help unload stuff and us.

Vern

P.S. http://debdarley.blogspot.com

Our 900+ page blog telling the story along with many pix of the flights and aircraft, treatments
 
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inspiring information

Thank you for the information and it certainly sounds like AF southeast success in using RV's will go a long ways (I hope). I may ask down the road for some documentation of past missions (if you have it handy) as I work with and educate AF West about RVs.

Cheers and thank you again for relating your stories & info, Mike
 
AdamB said:
I fly for Angel flight East and when this topic came up, I double checked their
website. They don't seem to have a no-Experimental clause in their pilot guidelines
here:
http://www.angelflighteast.org/PDFS/pilotguide81215.pdf
Click to expand...

That's good to know. Any comment on the difference between Angel Flight East and Angel Flight Northeast, which has the same basic territory but does seem to have a "no experimentals" clause and higher time requirements for passenger carriage?
 
1001001 said:
That's good to know. Any comment on the difference between Angel Flight East and Angel Flight Northeast, which has the same basic territory but does seem to have a "no experimentals" clause and higher time requirements for passenger carriage?
Click to expand...

I think you already touched on the 2 main differences that I know of.
I've never flown for NE, so can't really compare other than that.

Even though I qualify for the NE hours requirement, the lesser requirement of the East organization allowed me to help out sooner, so that's why I originally went with them.

There are lots of flights up to the Boston area, so there are plenty of opportunities for me to fly out-and-back missions.
 
Forwarded info on to Angel Flight West (AFW)

Thank you Adam, downloaded the pdf document and forwarded on to Angel Flight West, this is great info to help support a AFW change in policy.

Cheers, Mike
 
It was awful

It pained all of us to watch what Vern and his wife went through. They are good people. It was also neat to see the aviation aspect be so utilitarian to him when it was so needed. We see so many cases like this while doing Angel Flights.

Vic
 
Angel Flight Australia questionnaire for would-be volunteer pilots:

Do you own an aircraft or have access to private hire (at your own expense)?

Is the aircraft VH registered, factory built and assembled, and of a category other than 'Experimental', 'Amateur Built' or 'Warbird'?

Do you have in excess of 250 hours Pilot In Command?

Do you have at least 10 hours IFR (5 hours VFR) Pilot In Command on the aircraft you will be using?

Are you able to provide:
?a copy of current Flight Crew Licence
?a copy of current Class 1 or Class 2 Medical Certificate,
?a copy of your ASIC card,
? a copy of all relevant reviews, endorsements, ratings or proficiency checks.
 
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