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United States Pilots Association |
AOPA has had email news every day providing news info about the many pilots who are flying people and supplies to Haiti as humantarian relief. Yet if you read the news and emails from relief organizations already working in Haiti they say these people are actually doing much more harm than good. All the planes, people and supplies arriving without being asked are over taxing the relief efforts. Planes have to be parked and refueled which takes away from priority tasks, unrequested helpers need to be housed and fed and there is neither food nor shelter for them, and many supplies are not what is needed. A recent report cited that a can of peas costing 50 cents in the states then costs $80 to be given away due to the cost of getting it to people in country. Many medical supplies are out dated or not needed. So the relief workers do not want any more planes, people or supplies in Haiti. The best good can be done by contacting a local chapter of a relief organization alre ady on the ground in Haiti and giving them money to support their operations in Haiti.
This brings me to my second point. A few days ago an NMPA member sent me an email describing how good he felt flying as a volunteer pilot for a volunteer pilot organization. He asked me to pass on to NMPA members the name of Grace Flight and it now is operating in NM. He also mentioned there may be a monetary fuel reimbursement for pilots completeing mercy, charity flights.
Now comes my caveat. There is quite a bit of controversy between receiving fuel reimbursement (the CAP has an exception) and the FAA and the IRS. Some private pilots have received FAA sanctions for being reimbursed for fuel. But doing volunteer mercy flying can be a way to extend your flying activity, helping many in need. And Grace Flight is one of several volunteer pilot organizations in NM.
To learn more about the various volunteer pilot groups go to the Air Care Alliance web site (www.aircareall.org) or contact NMPA member Rol Murrow who is involved in the Air Care operations. Rol is at rol.murrow@wolf-aviation.org. For several years I was a SAR pilot for the TX WING of the Civil Air Patrol. I was reimbursed for mission flights using my plane and got to fly several mercy flights with patients or the parents of mediacl patients. It was rewarding and I enjoyed it.
Check out the web site or contact Rol to learn more about Grace Flight and all the other volunteer pilot organizations operating in NM that do need pilots and planes.
Bob Worthington, President
NMPA