A mission to “champion environmental protection through the unique perspective of flight”.
LightHawk grew from a seed planted in 1974 with a simple suggestion to use aircraft to educate legislators and reporters on the potential environmental damage of a proposed coal-fired power plant near the Grand Canyon. Continue reading “LightHawk”
The day after the earthquake struck, Gene Schmidt sat at home watching the first footage of the devastation in Haiti. Image after image of stunned and frightened Haitians walking in shock through streets littered with buildings reduced to powder and chunks of concrete left him asking: “How can I help?” Continue reading “Gene Schmidt”
Walt Fricke could not have envisioned creating Veterans Airlift Command when he was recovering from the injuries he received after his helicopter came under fire in Vietnam in 1968. A veteran of over 800 hours of combat flying, the highly-decorated pilot with severe leg injuries just wanted to be with his family and fiancee. Continue reading “Walt Fricke”
“They’ve got heart, they need wings.”
Of all the struggles wounded veterans face upon returning home, the least should be how to stay in touch with family when they must travel for medical treatment. And that’s why Walt Fricke founded Veterans Airlift Command. Continue reading “Veterans Airlift Command”
By Charles Stites-Executive Director of Able Flight
Able Flight has been called a lot of things since I founded it in 2006, but perhaps my favorite came from one of our pilots when he anointed this unique aviation nonprofit as the “little engine that could”. In its first five years Able Flight has kept its focus on its mission with dogged determination and single-mindedness. We set out to use aviation to change the lives of people with physical disabilities, and through them, to change the lives and perceptions of others. And that we have done. Continue reading “Able Flight”
In January 2011, Able Flight pilots Heather Schultz and Sean O’Donnell fulfilled a wish to give back what was given to them by helping wounded veterans become pilots. Beginning on a bitterly cold morning in Wilmington, Delaware, they flew Sean’s specially adapted airplane on a multi-city tour of a thousand miles to demonstrate to wounded veterans and others that paralysis or other disabilities are no barrier for them. Continue reading “Freedom Flight 2011”
Bahamas Habitat began a few years ago as a small group of U.S.-based pilots with a desire to volunteer their planes and skills to help the people of the islands of the Bahamas recover from the damage visited upon them by tropical storms. They organized “Fly In & Help Out” weekends, encouraging pilots of small airplanes to transport supplies and good will to the least fortunate of those who live on a chain of islands many see as paradise. Continue reading “Bahamas Habitat”