AFSE/MFSE/ACN Fast Facts – Docket FAA-2011-1070

October 5, 2011

Supplement to Docket FAA-2011-1070-0001 Page 1

ANGEL FLIGHTTM SOUTHEAST/MERCY FLIGHTTM SOUTHEAST FAST FACTS

For more than 25 years, Angel FlightTM Southeast/Mercy FlightTM Southeast (AFSE/MFSE) has 

coordinated free air transportation for children and adults with medical or compelling 

humanitarian needs.

AFSE/MFSE is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization of more than 650 volunteer pilots who utilize 

their own aircraft, fuel and time to provide free air transportation to medical facilities for citizens 

who are financially distressed or otherwise unable to travel on public transportation. Angel Flight 

Southeast also coordinates missions to fly organ transplant candidates, people involved in 

clinical trials, chemotherapy or other repetitive treatment, victims of abuse seeking relocation, 

families receiving help from Ronald McDonald Houses, Shriners Hospitals and many other 

charities, disabled or sick children to special summer camp programs, and for many other 

humanitarian reasons. 

For 2006, AFSE/MFSE and its group of all volunteer pilots on average flew 1,674 missions, 

including 29 transplant patients. These flown missions represent approximately 54% of the 3,091

missions actually scheduled/coordinated during 2006, on account of patient cancellations, 

weather, or/and unavailability of aircraft/pilot.

AFSE/MFSE belongs to the Air Charity NetworkTM (ACN) which comprises independent 

member organizations identified by specific geographical service area. Member organizations 

include Airlift Hope NC-TN, Angel Flight Central, Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic, Angel Flight 

Northeast, Angel Flight Southeast, Angel Flight West and Mercy Flight Southeast. 

AIR CHARITY NETWORKTM FAST FACTS

 Air Charity Network is the largest charitable air transportation organization in the world. 

And, with more than 7,500 volunteer general aviation pilots, Air Charity Network is the 

largest volunteer pilot organization in the nation. It is the only charitable aviation 

organization in the United States offering access within all 50 states.

 Air Charity Network represents over 90% of all charitable aviation non-emergency 

flights flown in the nation.

 Air Charity Network regional mission coordination teams handle more than 40,000 

requests for assistance annually.

 In 2006, Air Charity Network arranged flights for more than 34,000 passengers on 22,000 

missions.

 1/3 of Air Charity Network mission flights are for children and 2/3 for adults and senior 

citizens with hundreds of different illnesses, challenges and personal crises.

 Each dollar donated generates $3-5 worth of flight services delivered to people in need 

who live in rural and urban communities across the nation.

 Volunteer pilots who fly, and often own, general aviation airplanes “provide” the 

transportation by donating their time, talent, airplane, and fuel expenses.
AFSE/MFSE/ACN Fast Facts – Docket FAA-2011-1070

October 5, 2011

Supplement to Docket FAA-2011-1070-0001 Page 2

 Air Charity Network exists solely on donations from individuals, corporations, 

organizations, foundations and work place giving campaigns.

 Cash donations allow Air Charity Network to make life-saving connections between

supporting volunteer pilots and serving people in need.

 Disaster response . . . After 9/11, volunteer pilots were called upon to transport American 

Red Cross personnel, booties for the rescue dogs, and many other people and supplies. In 

the midst of response to Hurricane Katrina, over 2,500 missions were flown through Air 

Charity Network to reunite families separated during the evacuation of flood-ravaged 

areas and to relocate families out of shelters to safe housing elsewhere.

When requesting a flight, mission coordinators work diligently to successfully find a volunteer 

pilot or identify another appropriate transportation resource. Many ACN member organizations 

have special volunteers who are "on-call" for last minute transplant, blood and special 

circumstance flights.