Orcas Aviation Association's Free Mercy Flights Carry Island Patients to Mainland; Group Offers Flight-Training Scholarships as Volunteer Pilot Pool Shrinks
Why It MattersVolunteer-pilot medical transport for island communities depends on an ageing pool of private aircraft owners, pushing small operators toward funding flight training to sustain general-aviation public-service flying.
The nonprofit Orcas Aviation Association (OAA) operates Mercy Flights, a free community service that connects Orcas Island residents needing non-emergency medical transportation with local volunteer pilots who donate their time and personal aircraft. The service is aimed at residents for whom the ferry is not a practical option and for whom ambulance or emergency medical transport is not appropriate.
Most flights depart Orcas Island for Bellingham, Burlington/Mount Vernon and Anacortes, with occasional trips to Seattle's Boeing Field. Residents can request a Mercy Flight by calling or texting 360-472-2914.
The association says its pool of active volunteer pilots is gradually shrinking as some longtime pilots grow older and step back from flying. To build a future pool of volunteers, OAA offers three flight-training scholarships each year to aspiring adult pilots. Applications for this year's scholarships are due October 31, with interviews and awards in early November. Ground school begins in January, and flight training starts when weather permits, typically in May or June. Applications are available online at airhawks.org or at the Port of Orcas terminal.
