A Lifesaving Organization Dependant On Others
By Chris Batcheller
Wings of Hope, based out of St. Louis, MO, is a unique
organization providing medical air transportation for those who
needed the help the most. With over 500 volunteers worldwide
in 42 countries, 153 bases, and only 2 paid employees, they provide
free emergency and non-emergency medical transport to people who
can’t afford their own transportation or have a special need
to fly.
In the St. Louis area, Wings of Hope operates a Cessna 206, a
Piper Seneca III and a Piper Lance. Many people served domestically
are children who have been transported to Shriners' hospitals. They
have one patient who is transported every other week from Tulsa to
Milwaukee for specialized cancer treatment. George Knirsch pointed
out that they don’t just fly a patient once, they fly them as
long as the need is there.
Internationally they operate in 41 other countries. They provide
medical missions to remote locations and provide a life saving
service. Not only do they provide for the medical mission, Wings of
Hope also helps the people they serve by showing them how to have a
better way of life. Just one example is how they helped some
villagers build brooms and sell them in a nearby village.
“Bringing up the level of the economy is important”
says George Knirsch, a pilot for the organization. They don’t
just fly medical patients either. Particularly in the international
missions they will carry whatever is needed, including live
chickens and pipes to make a well!
Wings of Hope owns all the airplanes that they operate. They
place a special emphasis on safety, and always fly with two
pilots. When a patient gets into their aircraft, Wings of
Hope knows that it’s a solid plane with solid pilots.
Donations keep this organization going. The volunteers working
at the booth noted that they have seen the donations slow down
because of the economy. They accept almost anything as a donation
– recently they accepted a large RV. The ideal airplane,
according to George Knirsch is one that the owner has lost their
medical. With the help of volunteer A&P Mechanics, they take
wrecked or damaged airplanes and bring them back to airworthy
condition, supporting the international or domestic mission.
Sometimes they get an airplane that won’t be practical for
their mission, and those airplanes are sold to raise valuable funds
to keep the operations going. Recently Wings of Hope sold a Blue
Marines T-28 that can be seen here at Oshkosh 2009.
“It doesn’t take much to outfit the plane for the
mission” says George Knirsch. The airplanes are configured
for each mission often having stretchers installed on the seat
tracks. The medical equipment is mounted from a bar that is
installed just behind the pilot and co-pilots heads. Often
airplanes are reconfigured so that family members can accompany the
patient.
If you don’t have an airplane to donate, Wings of Hope is
looking to all walks of life for volunteers. You don’t have
to be a pilot, or A&P mechanic. They need IT folks, medical
people, marketing people, finance specialists, and any other
profession that is needed to run a large organization. George
Knirsch noted that he’s been in aviation for 40 years and he
enjoys giving back. “We sell our hearts to people that need
it” said George.
90 percent of all donations go directly to supporting their
mission. They have and impressive list of people supporting their
organization including actor Harrison Ford, General Colin Powell,
and Brig. General Chuck Yeager. They are not government or church
sponsored, but they often work with many organizations.