05/05/2025
We're thrilled to see Angel Flight volunteer pilot David Smith featured in the latest iFly EFB article! David has been a dedicated and compassionate supporter of our mission, generously giving his time and talent to help those in need.
Angel Flight—an organization dedicated to “People flying People in need.”
My passion for flying started when my parents would park near the end of the runway at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City to watch the planes land on Sunday afternoon. We did not have money to do a lot else growing up. However, as I would watch plane after plane land it was exciting for a twelve-year-old boy. That is when my dream began. I wanted to be a pilot. Not just any pilot, I wanted to fly for TWA, Delta, Pan Am, American or any airlines that would hire me.
As a young man I was so driven to become a pilot that while I was still in high school in Norman, Oklahoma, I had received a commercial certificate. Even before graduating I was sending my resume to all the airlines hoping that someone would give me a call or at least give me guidance about what was required. However, I quickly realized I was born a couple of years too late. The Vietnam war was winding down and all the trained military pilots were coming home with hundreds of hours and jet time. Even though by that time I had a multi-engine, commercial, and instrument rating at 20 years old it quickly became apparent that I was so far down the potential hiring list that my dream to become a commercial pilot was not to be.
Fast forward to 2025. My passion for flying has not changed and because of God’s blessings on my business career I now own my own plane. My Piper Saratoga may not be a Boeing 737, but it is something that can be used to carry a passenger. In fact, it has enabled me to embark on a new dream. A dream to serve others in need through an organization called Angel Flight. Angel Flight consists of pilots and volunteers across the United States who provide free medical and compassion flights. This might include flights for medical treatments, surgery, blood delivery, attending funerals, plus last-minute emergency trips to meet family needs. So, you can understand that their motto is “People Flying People in Need.”
I volunteer as often as I can. One flight I made was for a cancer patient in Stillwater Oklahoma who was receiving monthly chemo treatments at M.D. Anderson in Houston. Keep in mind that insurance companies typically do not cover monthly transportation costs for cancer treatments. The patients’ option is to make the fourteen (14) hour drive or buy a commercial airline ticket for them and their travel partner. Instead, they contacted the Angel Flight office located in Tulsa who hooked me up with the patient. Now instead of having to buy airline tickets or make a long fourteen-hour drive to Houston, we can have them on the ground in Houston in just over two hours. Another group of volunteers under the name of Angel Ground will pick the patient up at the airport and deliver them directly to the hospital or their hotel.
Angel Flight and Angel Ground fall under the category of ministries. The volunteers not only give up their time but cover the cost of the aviation fuel, oil, and maintenance on their aircraft. Many of the volunteers also donate money to the organization so if a plane or pilot is not immediately available then Angel Flight can sometimes help the family and buy airline tickets so the patient can get to their scheduled medical appointment.
If you have an interest in volunteering or donating to this great organization or you would like to request a flight you can go to www.angelflight.com. You will never regret it.
Written by David Smith, Broken Arrow, OK
