Volunteer Opportunities

Many volunteer pilot groups arrange free air transportation for patients in need of distant medical care or supportive services.

Typically, flights are for a patient (and usually one accompanying caregiver) who is in need of specialized medical care far from home. They may live in rural areas with limited treatment options or far from commercial air hubs. Most passengers will have a financial need or medical need that qualifies them for the service.

Each group sets their own criteria for pilots and patient eligibility. Pilot requirements vary between organizations and regions, but you can typically expect a minimum requirement of 250 PIC hrs.

All across the United States volunteer pilots assist with the rescue of animals that have narrowly escaped euthanasia at high-kill shelters by flying them to new homes or no-kill shelters where they have a much higher chance of adoption.

Volunteer pilots are also needed in cases where injured wildlife need to be moved for treatment, or to assist our veterans with transport of service animals.

Pilot requirements are often lower than patient-carrying organizations and are a great way to get started with volunteer flying.

General aviation can be a lifeline in times of natural or national disaster. Volunteer pilots can help with search & rescue efforts or aerial assessment of damage. They may transport medical and emergency relief staff, deliver critical medical and relief supplies to affected areas, or relocate survivors or evacuees.

While some organizations solely focus on disaster relief, most volunteer pilot organizations will mobilize in times of need.

The services of volunteer pilots are often needed for the delivery of precious cargo such as critical supplies and the transportation of blood and tissue.

Because precious cargo flights generally do not involve transportation of people, pilot requirements are often lower than patient-carrying organizations and are a great way to get started with volunteer flying.

Volunteer pilots across the country donate their time, talent and airplanes to greatly enhance environmental causes and conservation work. Environmental flying gives pilots an opportunity to experience a different kind of adventurous flying while making a difference for environmental causes they believe in.

Pilots who volunteer for environmental organizations provide survey flights to collect scientific data of local eco-systems, assess environmental damage, and participate in scientific studies and wildlife counts. The information gathered on these flights is instrumental in educating policy makers, community leaders, and the media on all sorts of environmental issues. It also helps to foster a dialog and promote informed decision making among conservation partners.

Flights are often conducted at lower altitudes, making repeated low passes over a specific area.

As such, requirements for these organizations are typically higher than other organizations.

Volunteer pilots can introduce others to the wonders of flight in various unique ways. There are organizations that provide introduction flights for children, flights for grief support, or experiential flights for kids with disabilities.

These flights are generally short, local flights on VFR days and are a great way to get started with volunteer flying.

We’ll help you find opportunities to put your pilot skills to good use!

1. Complete a volunteer application 
2. We’ll show you a list of organizations that may be right for you based on your location and qualifications
3. You choose which organizations to apply to and submit your application with the click of a button

Questions about volunteering? We’d love to help! Email us at info@aircarealliance.org

Or view our FAQs here.