The History of Angel Flight West

(taken from "In the Beginning…" by Brian Weiss, AFW pilot and former Board member)

In the beginning, there wasn't much. A few pilots, some folding chairs, a hangar at what was then SMO's Gunnell Aviation, and an idea on the part of these pilots that they could use their airplanes to help others.

This is the original Angel Flight hat and first piece of AF merchandise to be sold. Note that we were originally called "American Medical Support Flight Team - The Angel Flight". We've come a long way! The hat was kindly donated for the photo by AFW pilot Ira Gottfried, SoCA Wing.

The year was 1983. What was at that time the Los Angeles chapter of the American Medical Support Flight Team was launched with a lot more good intentions than flights. In fact, for the first several years of its existence, what would later be called Angel Flight had an uphill battle to convince people that it was giving away free air transportation!

By December of the first year, the mission total topped out at zero. Undaunted, we celebrated with a Christmas party at the home of Keith and Adine Kretschmer. In 1984, our first full year, the mission total swelled to a grand total of 15, and we celebrated with an anniversary party, once again at the Krestchmer home. Angel Flight was still small enough that the entire membership, spouses and significant others and friends could be easily gathered in one home for a potluck dinner. It would be several years before we graduated to banquets at restaurants to celebrate the anniversary of our founding.

Meetings - monthly affairs at that time - were often highlighted by the pilots giving a blow-by-blow description of the mission they'd flown. If there had been a mission, that is. It was not unusual for a month or two or more to go by with nary a call, though we were ready, willing and able.

The Los Angeles chapter of AMSFT grew quickly in members, and eventually in flights. Originally intended as part of a national network, we went solo when the national organization proved incapable of carrying out its original promise to pay our bills and provide support. In the best spirit of '76, we declared independence. One or two other chapters did the same and survived; many others faltered, due to lack of organization, leadership, or finances.

Fortunately, we had all three. The Los Angeles group was fortunate in its early years to have a number of remarkably accomplished individuals who provided a solid core of capability that not only kept the Los Angeles chapter going, but helped nurture many chapters around the country. Among these people were Dennis Torres, John Plueger, Alan Lund, Gary Davis, Bill Worden, Brian Weiss - some remain active, others are in the shadows, but each was instrumental in building the foundation on which the organization rests.

--- TIMELINE ---
1991 375 mission flown, Total missions to date 1340

As a corporate entity, Angel Flight had a board of directors, but the day-to-day operational decision making was in the hands of a small executive committee consisting of about a half dozen people. This was long before full time staff was even a glimmer on our wing. In fact, it wasn't until five years after our founding –1988–that Angel Flight hired Kathy Ezemoli to help relieve the burden of paperwork. It would be 1992 before Angel Flight hired its current Executive Director, Jim Weaver.

We can be pleased and proud of the fact that both of these people remain with us today, each having made a huge contribution to the growth and success of Angel Flight. It was still later that Angel Flight added a paid mission coordinator, a task that until that time was rotated among a legion of dedicated volunteers who served for one week at a time.

Mission Photo: Pilot Don Pischner and passenger on his first mission from S09 to U59. (July 2005)

As Angel Flight grew older, it grew more visible. A consistent and concerted outreach effort directed at hospitals, publicity in many local and regional newspapers, and many other efforts combined to eventually put Angel Flight on the map of those in a position to use our services. This was reflected in the mission total, which grew from 15 in 1984 to 35 in 1985, 160 in 1986 and 170 in 1987. It wasn't until our eighth full year (1982) that we would hit 500 in a year, and it was our 14th year before we topped the thousand mission mark in 1998. Yet it took only three more years for the mission total to soar above 2000.

--- TIMELINE ---
1997 Wings were developed in each state to grow AFW
1998 1,035 mission flown, Total missions to date 6,400

The real Angel Flight story is not the numbers. The real story is the story of the many thousands of individuals whose lives have been made better because so many pilots have taken the time to contribute. It's the story of people who are alive today only because an Angel Flight pilot flew a mission. It's the story of kids with cancer, and adults with AIDS, and people with tragedies that seemed overwhelming until they met a pilot on the ramp who cared enough to help. For 20 years, Angel Flight has provided not just transportation, but care and compassion. It's a remarkable and admirable person-to-person endeavor that has every reason to celebrate two decades of success.

--- TIMELINE ---
1999 Afids was developed to modernize mission coordination by web site
2004 4,292 mission flown, Total missions to date 21,662