Chris Kirk has been an avid supporter of Angel Flight since he first learned of its existence. His life-long love of airplanes began when he was a child and has become even more meaningful since he has been flying for Angel Flight for the past year and a half.
The non-profit, founded in 1983, is a charitable organization of volunteer pilots who help people in need, of all ages, travel to receive distant medical care. The pilots volunteer their time, skills and funds required for aircraft operating expenses. Many of the pilots use their own personal aircraft, while some use rented aircraft.
Kirk’s interest in aircraft was piqued at a young age since his grandfather, Don Fleming, who was a World War II B-24 navigator owned several airplanes.
“I started out taking lessons back in the 80’s through Executive Beechcraft in Kansas City, and then, after graduating from the University of Kansas, went on to learn to fly in the Air Force,” Kirk said. “I was then selected to be a T-38 instructor, which I did for another seven years.”
A resident of Platte County, Kirk said he has always had a heart for charitable aviation endeavors and has served on the Board of Trustees for another aviation charity, Challenge Air for Kids & Friends.
“It’s great to use something I love to benefit others and to see what a positive impact it can make on their lives,” Kirk said.
He has made five flights for Angel Flight. His most recent was from Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City to Fayetteville, Ark. He’s also done flights to Oklahoma City, Okla., Memphis, Tenn., and Pratt, Kan.
The Angel Flight philosophy is that the cost of travel should never stand in the way of people receiving medical care. More than 1,400 pilots volunteer across the U.S.
Kirk has transported people with an assortment of health problems, including Multiple Sclerosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, cystic fibrosis and lung cancer. “Some are connecting through Kansas City to another Angel Flight pilot who will either take them to their destination or home,” Kirk said. “Others are coming here for treatment.”
A lot of the trip destinations include hospitals that specialize in a multitude of medical areas such as Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic.
Family members are allowed to fly with patients depending on their weight and the capability of the airplane.
“Most everyone we’ve flown has had either a friend or family member accompanying them,” Kirk said. “Naturally, if a child is a patient, he/she has a parent with them.”
To volunteer for Angel Flight and command a mission, pilots must have about 250 to 300 flying hours and receive extensive training on the special procedures required for patient transportation.
“Angel Flight sends out a daily email that shows missions that need to be filled,” Kirk said. “Each volunteer pilot can then review to see what, if any missions, they want to accept. Once they do so, it is each pilot’s responsibility to coordinate with the passenger and any connecting pilots. We try to make sure there is enough flexibility in the passenger’s medical itinerary in case of bad weather or other delays. The safety of the mission is always the pilot’s responsibility and he/she is the final authority as to whether the mission is completed. Occasionally, a pilot will buy a commercial ticket for the passenger if it looks like weather or other circumstances won’t cooperate. Another pilot and I did this last year when it was obvious that the weather wasn’t going to be good enough.”
In 2006, Kirk started a company called WildBlue Aircraft Sales, and the company has clients in about 40 states and five continents. His customer-based philosophy focuses on helping buyers and sellers make good decisions, rather than just quick deals. Kirk and his wife own a 1994 Piper Saratoga II HP.
“Many people in sales are only interested in the quick sale,” Kirk said. “That’s a good way to go broke in this business. We want clients for a lifetime which requires a slower approach.”
He has also taught private-pilot ground school classes to train pilots at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, where the profits were donated to Angel Flight.
Weather is the most challenging part of his volunteer flights. “We take a ‘co-pilot’ with us (they may not always be a certificated pilot) so that any airborne issues can be addressed without adversely distracting the flying pilot,” Kirk said. “Like any other passengers, Angel Flight passengers may experience air sickness or have special needs that require attention.”
Some of Kirk’s most memorable trips he has taken with patients include when he and his co-pilot, usually another Angel Flight volunteer, picked up a 13-year-old boy and his mom for a pre-surgery appointment in St. Louis. “We got to meet their entire family at the airport,” Kirk said. “They were incredibly grateful for the travel and we were thrilled to be able to help. The last one I did in August was also memorable because my wife, Erica, acted as my co-pilot. She’d been wanting to ride along and serve in this role for quite a while and her schedule finally allowed.”
The memorable thank you’s Kirk has received from grateful patients include lots of hugs. “And sometimes they cry,” Kirk said. “They are all so very gracious.”
He plans to continue his service with Angel Flight for many years to come because of the numerous rewarding parts of volunteering his time to help save people’s lives.
His rewards can be summed up by just the act of giving. “God has blessed each of us in different ways and calls on each of us to share those talents and resources,” Kirk said.