This Non-Profit Flight Service Fills a Critical Need at No Cost to the Children or Their Families
When Mark Pestal was a youngster growing up under the approach path to runway 12 at Offutt Air Force Base (AFB) in Omaha, Nebraska, he had no way of knowing that his interest in aviation would take him where he is today. His passion for flight increased dramatically as a 7 year-old when a neighbor and he went on an introductory flight in a Cessna 152. When Pestal arrived at the University of Colorado in Boulder to pursue a degree in Business, he fell in with several roommates who shared his interest in aviation. There Mark began taking lessons, eventually soloing in a 152 in 1982.
Working With the Department of Justice
After Mark graduated with his undergraduate degree he entered law school at UC Boulder. He then went to work for the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in Washington D.C. in the Office of Legislative Affairs. While working in Washington, Mark flew with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) during the early 1990s. Mark then became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Denver, where he was involved in aviation accident investigation and litigation on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Throughout his time with the DOJ, Pestal remained interested in aviation, eventually earning an ATP and jet-type rating.
An Idea Develops Into a Compassionate Mission
During the early 2000s some of Pestal’s spare time was spent on the board of a Midwestern aviation charity. It was during this time that Pestal realized there was an unfulfilled need for critically ill passengers to travel long distances for treatment aboard jet aircraft, but many of them did not require, or could not justify, an air ambulance for their travel to treatment. Commercial flights were not an option for these passengers because of their serious health challenges and requirement for medical support en route. For a child with no immune system a commercial flight is simply not a viable option. While there are some 250 children’s hospitals in the United States, the distances children must sometimes travel for life-saving treatment keep them from that treatment.
Taking Off and Starting Small
Mark Pestal founded AeroAngel as a non-profit organization in 2010. The first flight was made in a Beechcraft 58P Baron, and before long they were flying Piper Meridians, Pilatus PC-12s, and Cessna Citation Mustangs. Since then, Mark and his five-member team of volunteers, along with many more volunteer pilots, have provided more than 200 flights, primarily for children, across the country. The unexpected donation of a Learjet 55 aircraft in the summer of 2018 provided the impetus for Mark to retire from his work with the DOJ in August of 2019 after 30 years of service. When he’s not in the right seat aboard an AeroAngel flight, Pestal now volunteers as AeroAngel’s full time Executive Director.
How Does a Family in Need Connect With AeroAngel?
Requests for AeroAngel flights come from several sources: Social workers at various children’s hospitals, the AeroAngel website, and perhaps most often, referrals from previous passengers and their families. Once a request comes in, first the child’s ability to travel aboard a business jet for the required duration is verified. Then the donor aircraft, crew, and other logistics are handled by AeroAngel. While Pestal says they can provide transport for patients with critical need in as little as a few hours, that’s the exception rather than the norm.
