How do angel flights work, and is there a “tax” advantage. ie “Charity” contribution aspect to it?
In reply to:
How do angel flights work, and is there a “tax” advantage. ie “Charity” contribution aspect to it?
Angel Flights are simply flights to take persons needing transportation to and from (usually) medical facilities who for whatever reason would be unable to make the trip commercially. This can be for financial reasons or simply routing problems. Once a person “qualifies” for an angel flight (usually through a social worker) the requested flight is posted on the Angel Flight site and pilots who have agreed to provide such flights are asked if they can do it. If you volunteer and are selected you pick up the passenger and fly him/her to the destination. No money changes hands.
I have no idea if you can deduct the expenses of your flight (I don’t). Whether you can or can’t it’s an excellent way to help GA’s image and to make a positive contribution to the community.
Every Angel Flight I’ve done (mostly cancer patients but also kids with AIDS to and from summer camp) has given me immense personal satisfaction and that’s far more valuable than any tax deduction.
It just so happens I did an Angel Flight this afternoon. Returned a fellow from Miami (Opa Locka) back to his home in Ft. Myers after treatment for an eye condition.
I live in the Southeast, so more info can be found at http://www.angelflightse.org/ Likely info on other branches there.
It’s a great excuse to go flying and keep the rust off the cylinders. Not to mention helping other out and “giving something back”.
Tax advantages don’t figure into it for me at all, but it’s against my religion to give the government any more money than I have to, so…
…does anyone know if these flights are tax deductible? If so, what hourly rate could you use for an SR22?
Fred,
I am an AFW member of the Utah wing. The Colorado wing is a marvelous well organized wing with lots of projects, meetings etc… give them a call.
We are all part of Angel Flight West.
http://www.angelflight.org/colorado
Rick
[
For the benefit of pilots here in Canada, we have a similiar organization called Hope Air (www.hopeair.org). I have been volunteering for them for the past 2 years and I too find it extremely rewarding.
In reply to:
Angel Flights are simply flights to take persons needing transportation to and from (usually) medical facilities who for whatever reason would be unable to make the trip commercially. This can be for financial reasons or simply routing problems. Once a person “qualifies” for an angel flight (usually through a social worker) the requested flight is posted on the Angel Flight site and pilots who have agreed to provide such flights are asked if they can do it. If you volunteer and are selected you pick up the passenger and fly him/her to the destination. No money changes hands.
I have no idea if you can deduct the expenses of your flight (I don’t). Whether you can or can’t it’s an excellent way to help GA’s image and to make a positive contribution to the community.
Every Angel Flight I’ve done (mostly cancer patients but also kids with AIDS to and from summer camp) has given me immense personal satisfaction and that’s far more valuable than any tax deduction.
Jerry very well said. That is why I do Miricle flights for kids. I have never deducted the flights. But Im sure it is doable and nothing wrong with it. Don
In reply to:
It’s a great excuse to go flying and keep the rust off the cylinders. Not to mention helping other out and “giving something back”.
Tax advantages don’t figure into it for me at all, but it’s against my religion to give the government any more money than I have to, so…
…does anyone know if these flights are tax deductible? If so, what hourly rate could you use for an SR22?
Current law and regulations state that you can deduct your actual expenses, the largest of which is fuel. There is no deduction for the “use” of the aircraft itself, unless you are a renter and must incur out-of-pocket costs for the use of the aircraft. Charts are other expnses bought for the flight.
I am an Angel Flight pilot myself and I agree that the real rewards are in helping those less fortunate who are in need. However, Congress has made the expenditures a charitable donation deduction, so who am I to argue?
Happy New Year to all.
I seem to recall from several years back, a relatively absurd position taken by the FAA, I think, that taking a charitable deduction constituted some form of remuneration…ergo, you had to be commercially rated. I don’t know if this ever applied to Angel flights…but does anyone recall this issue? Is it still a concern?
In reply to:
Jerry very well said. That is why I do Miricle flights for kids. I have never deducted the flights. But Im sure it is doable and nothing wrong with it. Don
Don, What are "Miracle Flights’? (aside from my logging only one take off and landing per flight [:)]}
Dave,
I think (but am not positive) that what you are referring to was a rule that applied to flying flights for charitable organizations.
For example, my wife runs a nursing home and every year they have a fund raising auction. She asked me to “donate” a sightseeing flight over Chicago as something to be bid for. Now whoever wins the bid essentially is paying for the flight and the FAA felt that required a commercial certificate even though I as the pilot wasn’t being paid. Since I have a commercial license it wasn’t an issue (I checked with the FAA before doing it).
With an Angel Flight no money of any sort changes hands. It is purely a non commercial operation.
The missions are about the same as Angle flights which is to help others and to give back. But based out of Vegas. WE mostly fly kids and there parents. I have been with them for 10 years. I was honerd to do 30,000 flight. Got my Cirrus on the news back when there were not many arround. But I have flown a few adults. I have also done some in MI. So they do things all around the world. They would love to have pilot in GA. You would not get many flights but when you did they would be needed. Here is the web site http://www.miracleflights.org a very neat story how Ann started it up. Don