Pilots wanted for kids’ charity flight

[maxtech]

Appeal for help. I am trying to organise a series of short flights lasting about 30 mins, on Sunday 7th August, for 20 children visiting our area from Belarus. These kids are aged between 9 and 14 and all are suffering from the affects of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station disaster of over 19 years ago. All have some form of cancer including leukaemia and thyroid. The children visit this country every year for a month, which is thought, could extend their life expectancy for up to two years. At the moment I have two aircraft confirmed, a F-172 and a two seat Jodel. If we can get another two of three aircraft then getting all 20 airborne should not be a too difficult. However the more the merrier. With more aircraft we could take the children for an hours flight. All flights are to take place from Beccles in Suffolk. There will be no landing fees for all aircraft taking place in the charity flights. Airfield details can be found on the clubs website www.rainair.co.uk

Your help in this would be very much appreciated. I managed to take one little girl for a 1-hour flight last year. She had a great time.

Many thanks

Steve



:ouch:

[Zlin526]

Check out AIC 76/2003 [White 88] before you get airborne. You can find it here: (http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/pdf/aic/4W088.PDF) :ok:

[RotorHorn]

The way I read it (particularly section 2), these 'charity' flight regs only apply when money is being paid to a registered charity rather than the operator(pilot) in return for the flight.

If you're giving free rides to people, then these rules don't apply, do they? :confused:

After all, what's the difference between this scenario, and any other flight where you take up a friend/relative/sibling for a bimble round for free?

Besides the warm feeling of helping your fellow man...obviously! :ok:

Good luck garnering support. I'm a bit too far Up north to help on this one. But its obviously a worthy cause.

All the best.

RH

[Aussie Andy]

Wish I could help - sorry I will be away in Australia then.

I don't think there is a problem with the rules if no money is changing hands: you are preumably expecting people to donate their time and the flights?

I hope you get a good response - sounds very worthwhile.

Andy :ok:

[maxtech]

Thanks everybody for looking. With regards to the rules, no money is being given to charities or asked for. All we are trying to do is to take some kids flying for 30 minutes or so. Therefore the only thing being donated is time. Thanks for the info though, it is well worth pointing out.

Steve

[Zlin526]

Sorry, I saw the words "Charity flight" and went off at a tangent..:rolleyes:

[bookworm]

Thanks everybody for looking. With regards to the rules, no money is being given to charities or asked for. All we are trying to do is to take some kids flying for 30 minutes or so. Therefore the only thing being donated is time. Thanks for the info though, it is well worth pointing out.

There's an argument that waiving landing fees for those taking part is valuable consideration. IMHO, it would be a very petty attitude to take, but given the Kenyon prosecution recently, you may want to square it with the CAA first. One possibility might be to waive all landing fees that day, which would break any contractual link between participation and the freebie.

Good luck with what sounds like an excellent project.

[Flyin'Dutch']

I have partaken a few times in something similar. Good fun and very rewarding.

The CAA like people to operate in the spirit of the AIC.

I will point the geeza who has organised similar events in the direction of the thread.

Best of luck

FD

[PPRuNe Pop]

Used to do a lot of these for the disabled in the Islander and the Bandy. They are as much a joy for you as they are for the kids. You will feel elated at the end of the day I promise you. Prepare for tears (yours) when you get a hug.

No reward no problem. Just be sure you advise your insurer, they are usually very happy to endorse the day - or whatever.

[jim dalton]

Max, well done for not sitting around but getting up and doing something

Frank pointed me to your thread, unfortunatley I no longer have an aircraft and we have a Firework display booked on the day.

I have run a similar event for the Burned Children's Club for a few years now and I would strongly suggest you notify the CAA of your intentions so that there is no danger of any misinterpretation

I am just working on the pilots brief for this years event, 25th August and you are welcome to contact me 01480 387982 if you require any information, want to hear about the experiances we have had or wish to use our brief for information

Have fun and good luck!


Jim

[bar shaker]

I'm in France for the weekend, visiting the out-laws, but will ask my mates. I'm sure some of them will be up for this.

[IsItABird]

Hi Steve

I've PM'd you.

I'd love to help out and have booked our group AC (Koliber 160) out for the day.

Thanks

Parvez

:ok:

[maxtech]

Parvez,

Thanks very much for your support. Look forward to seeing you on the day.

Steve

[Windy Militant]

Maxtech,
At peril of teaching granny to suck eggs, have you contacted your local PFA struts. We do a lot of Young Aviator flights. Similar format 20 to 30 mins airbourne and we issue a certificate to the kids as a momento of the day.
Have a look here for contact details

PFA Strut listing (http://www.pfa.org.uk/clubroom/struts/documents/WebsiteListing_001.pdf)

And here for .Young Eagles (http://www.pfa.org.uk/pfa_juniors/index.asp) which is what the scheme was called up until recent events ment we had to change to Young Aviators.

I'm afraid that due to some peckish bovines I can't help you myself, but best of luck on the day. :ok:

[maxtech]

Thanks WM,

I hadn't thought of the PFA, thanks for the prompt. I will try to give the Crowfield group a call.

Steve:ok:

[Legalapproach]

Maxtech

Try Priory Farm as well - closer than Crowfield - I would offer but unfortunately I am abroad that weekend

LA

[ChampChump]

Without having checked the exact location and so on, it might be premature, but I'm available. It'd be good, as I probably won't be able to be at Popham for their Starlight Day as I'd hoped.

I've done similar things in a glider, but not, so far, in the aeroplane. It has to be one of the best things one can do with the expensive piece of paper in the brown plastic folder.

CC

[Pull Back]

Hi Maxtech,

I am a member of a PA28-140 group in cambridgeshire,
and would love to come and join you on the 7th Aug if you are still wanting more seats.

PM on its way shortly.

Cheers,

PB

[maxtech]

I would like to thank everybody that has offered to help and all those that have past on their support and advise with this matter.

Unfortunately the organisers have just informed me that they no longer wish to take part. I don't know but it may be an insurance issue. It would seem that you can't do anything these days without the dreaded 'god safety' getting involved. Everyone is scared of their own shadow just in case someone is going to sue.

Oh well thanks again. I think I will go the Red-Bull Air Race instead.

Disappointed

Steve


:(

[Pull Back]

Lost for words!!!:ooh: :sad: :sad:

PB

[BRL]

What is to stop us having a fly-in on the 7th at Beccles, just turning up and if the kids are around take them up once?

I am sure people wouldn't mind paying an extra landing fee.........

[Quickloop]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is to stop us having a fly-in on the 7th at Beccles, just turning up and if the kids are around take them up once?

I am sure people wouldn't mind paying an extra landing fee.........

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here! Here!


Give the nod and I'll book a four seater.

[maxtech]

The only thing stopping us is the fact that the kids will not be there.

I'm only sorry that I tried to organise the whole thing in a professional organised way. Last year I took a little Russian girl up that was staying with a friend of mine. No problems with that.

This year I asked my friend to give me a bit more notice so that I could organise enough aircraft to take up all 20 in an organised event. Now there are problems.

But don't let that put you off coming to Beccles. It's a lovely small and friendly club. Club facilities are a bit light at the moment but progress is being made at an ever-increasing rate.

Thanks again to everyone for your support.

Steve

[Windy Militant]

Edited to say Crossed posts. Maybe something can be organised for next year.

Having been involved with this sort of thing for a few years now, I've seen how much bureaucracy goes with it.
There may be other issues beyond the insurance.

If they have similar regulations to school trips run from this country then they may require that prior specific written consent from the Childs parent or Legal Guardian is given. Despite the teachers being in Loco Parentis during the trip they are not allowed to give consent for things like this.
So I advise that you get the full picture before you get too carried away.

However if they have permission then perhaps someone in PPrune land can pull a few strings and sort out some cover for them. If we have to have a whip round to pay for it I'd be happy to forgo a few rounds at the bar for a cause as worthy as this.

[dublinpilot]

Well, it's too far away for me to be of assistance with an aircraft.

However, if insurance is the only issue, I'd be happy to make a donation into an insurance fund.

dp

[IsItABird]

Unbelievable!

Does anyone know of any other similar activities I could get involved in, I have a share in a four seater and would love to participate in any such activities.

Thanks in advance and thanks for trying Steve.

Parvez

:(

[ChampChump]

Starlight Day at Popham?

[maxtech]

Many of you will have read the recent correspondence concerning attempts to organise flights for kids from Belarus suffering with cancer. Despite initially being warmly received by the local organisation here in Norfolk, and receiving many offers of help, (thanks again for that), two weeks before the event I was informed that we were not allowed to take the children flying. Well today I have just found out why. As expected that charities head office in Haselmere has an issue with the insurance. This I am sure we could have got around once they understood our own aircraft insurance cover, which we all now need. But the one thing I could not convince them of, and one that never ceases to amaze me, is their perception of light aircraft as being death traps flown by unprofessional thrill seeking lunatics.

Quotes from the charities reply to my correspondence. "there are many small aircraft that crash and this would potentially be putting the children in danger". Well which papers has he been reading?

:(

[RotorHorn]

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:


I don't know which paper it is 'they' read, but if I were you, I would find out, and then give the editor a ring an explain your story.

Especially how pilots from all over the country have offered time and money to make this happen!!

Perhaps the embarassment of the story in the local rag would shame them into looking a big closer at the cirmcumstances...!
:E :E :E

RH