Why buy an aircraft instead of renting one?
Availability, mostly. A rental aircraft on a flight line isn’t set up to prioritize any one pilot — it’s shared with renters, students, and other members, often bookable only an hour or two at a time. A medical mission doesn’t work that way: it needs an aircraft ready when the mission is, not when the schedule allows, and sometimes needs to hold for weather or a patient’s changing plans without someone else waiting on the keys.
Owning also means the aircraft can actually be built for this work — club seating, a wide aft door, the specific equipment a mission needs — rather than whatever configuration happens to be on the rental line that day. And a rented aircraft’s maintenance and insurance are set up for typical training and personal flying, not a charitable transport mission with its own liability profile. Owning puts us in control of both.
How do I request a flight?
You don’t request one from us directly. Contact Angel Flight West — they handle eligibility and coordinate the mission with pilots like ours. See How It Works for the full process.
Does it cost anything to fly with you?
No. There’s never a fee to the passenger. Every mission is funded by donors and flown by a volunteer pilot donating their time and aircraft.
Where do you fly?
Currently across the Southwest United States, based out of our home airport in Marana, Arizona. As our fleet grows, so will our reach.
Do you have an aircraft yet?
Not yet — we’re in our Founding Campaign, raising the funds to acquire and outfit our first aircraft, a Piper Cherokee Six. See Our Aircraft and Donate for details.
How do I become a volunteer pilot?
Meet Angel Flight West’s minimums, pass our screening and test flight, attend monthly training, and stay current on FAA recency requirements. Full details are on Become a Pilot.
I don’t fly — can I still help?
Yes. We need ground support, a future Mission Coordinator, fundraising help, and more. See Volunteer.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. PNW Wings For Angels is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Who sees my medical information?
Not us. Angel Flight West handles all eligibility and medical details through their own systems. We only ever see a reference number.
What if the weather’s bad on my flight day?
The pilot’s judgment always comes first. If a mission isn’t safe to fly, it’s rescheduled — no exceptions, for anyone’s sake.
How is this different from Angel Flight West?
We’re a volunteer pilot organization that flies the missions Angel Flight West brings to us — think of us as one more set of wings in their network, based in the Southwest.