YOUNG HAS ANGELS IN ITS MIDST!
PLUS THE FIRST ANGEL FLIGHT BY HELICOPTER

Angel Flight flew out of Young for the first time with a local Angel at the controls.

The dawn departure.

Ok I've got the tooth brush, socks .........

Channae's grandfather, pleased Channae doesn't have to spend hours in the car.

With an Angel Bear tucked under your arm, what else does a girl need?

Just let me get this dial and we'll be away.

Craig Sargent flew fixed wing with a sun star following them.

The purpose of this very special flight was to provide much needed relief for local girl, seven-year-old Channae Scott who is fighting a battle with Leukaemia.

After being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in September 2004, Channae and her mother Louise have made regular trips to the Sydney Children’s Hospital for chemotherapy treatment.

As a single parent family with minimal resources they have relied on Channae’s grandfather to drive them to and from Sydney. However this became difficult, especially for Channae who found the long and tiring road journey both physically and emotionally exhausting.  

Louise said that she has been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster since September and has had to learn to just live day-by-day.

“It all started when Channae complained about having a sore ankle,” she said.

“At first I thought she’d sprained it and I was told it was probably just growing pains but it then got to the stage where she could hardly walk and I can remember thinking that I would just die if it was Leukaemia. I still don’t know why I thought that”.

Louise said that it was almost eight weeks after Channae had first complained about having bone pain that she was taken to Canberra and then to Sydney where she was diagnosed with Leukaemia.  

“I was absolutely devastated and heart-broken for her and still feel like that because I don’t know what to expect. After her first treatment with chemotherapy she was really ill and couldn’t even get out of her wheelchair and on top of that she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. All of this means that we have good and bad days but I just have to get through it,” she said.

Louise said that at first Channae got quite depressed because she didn’t understand why she had to have needles that hurt her.  

“I was advised to be honest with her so I told her what was happening and that everyone was trying to help her. At the moment she’s doing quite well because her blood counts are up and now her mind has been taken off her illness because she’s excited about her Angel flights,” Louise said.

“This trip was so much better for Channae and I really don’t know what I would have done without the help of Angel Flight.  The pilots must be really special to dedicate their time to help people like us.  We are ever so grateful and I know that others who have used this service also think they are wonderful."

This story appearing in the Bankstown Canterbury Torch Page 15.
Also appeared in The Young Witness 02/02/05 - Front Page and Page 5. Heli-News May 2005.
Courier-Mail Business Section 24/05/05.

Craig Sargent - Pilot

Ian Dagger - Earth Angel
(Ian's 16th mission)

Angel flight 1 by Craig Sargent
Previous mission for Craig - M200 AF1.

The owner of a Pre-mix concrete business, Craig has lived in Young for over fourteen years and was born not too far away. He says that he took up flying about ten years ago and feels privileged to be an Angel Flight pilot.

“I have always been interested in flying and when a friend took me up I just got hooked,” he said.

“I get a great sense of freedom when I’m in the air and it’s such a great way to see Australia and now I have found it’s a good way for me to help my local community and those who are less fortunate than I am.  I had the opportunity to fly an Angel Flight mission when I airlifted an elderly man battling cancer out of Cootamundra. It was so rewarding to see his face and know that I’d made a difference in his life during a very difficult time.”

Craig said that having two healthy sons aged three years and three weeks he realizes how fortunate he is and he enjoyed his first local mission.

Chris Farrell - Pilot

Ian Dagger - Earth Angel
(Ian's 17th mission)

Angel flight 2 by Chris Farrell
First mission for Chris.

Comment by Chris: “This mission represented two firsts – the first Angel Flight conducted in Australia by a helicopter and also the first for our company, Aquila Helicopters, which operates a 4 seat, Robinson R44, Raven II (VH-VTO, call sign ‘Aquila 1’) from Canberra International Airport.

To ensure a smooth ride for Channae and Louise we had decided an early morning departure from Bankstown was desirable as the flight would involve crossing some remote and rugged terrain of the southern Blue Mountains. This meant a pre dawn departure from Canberra to position to Bankstown. Conditions were perfect as we took off and a spectacular sunrise was seen to the east as we approached Marulan with Aquila 1 clipping along at a steady 110 knots cruise.

Ensuring the safety and comfort of our passenger.

I was accompanied on the flight by Eddie Misic as my crew member. We had learnt in advance that 7 year old Channae would have just finished a week’s chemotherapy and that her mother was nervous about flying. Having a crew member meant I could focus on the flying while Eddie could deal with any passenger problems that might emerge during the flight. We have had a fair amount of experience flying together as Eddie is the commercial photographer I use on a lot of our aerial photography work - I was confident he would perform his role well.

On arriving at the 2RN Bankstown reporting point at around 07:00, we used for the first time our Angel Flight call sign - ‘Angel Flight’ Aquila 1 - and Bankstown tower gave us a clearance direct to the western helipad – a slightly quicker route than our usual via Helicopters South. Shortly after landing, and a quick refuel using our Angel Flight fuel card, Earth Angel Ian Dagger arrived by car with Channae and Louise. He reported that on the journey from the Sydney Children’s Hospital Channae had been sick several times. In my mind I was relieved that our pre-flight preparation had included putting a plastic bowl with lid in the back seat of the helicopter! In addition I had found a small esky which fitted neatly between the back seats and which later provided us all with cool drinks during the flight and Channae with some lollies.

Looking initially quite washed out Channae’s spirits seemed to lift when she saw the helicopter and after her safety briefing she enthusiastically boarded along with her rather nervous looking mum, Louise. We were given a direct departure to the south west to Tahmoor where we turned to take up a westerly heading for Young. Louise and Channae settled quickly and given the near perfect flying conditions we were able to operate at an altitude which enabled them to take full advantage of the large amount of window area in the R44. Channae remained glued to her window for most of the flight, fascinated by the view below, and everybody was pleased when there was no repeat of the earlier car vomiting. Louise responded well to the flight too and after just a short time looked visibly more relaxed and was heard to say ‘Chris I’m actually enjoying this!’

A happy Channae back at home with her family.

Channae became excited about seeing the rest of her family again as we left the mountains behind us and tracked across the rolling plains to Young. After overflying the town and her house we headed for what was a very quiet Young Airport. As we hovered into the small terminal Channae spotted a dozen family members standing at the gate and gave them an enthusiastic wave. Once the shutdown was completed everyone gathered around and Channae who was grinning from ear to ear was the centre of attention. The transformation in her apparent sense of well being from when we had first met her at Bankstown to her arrival in Young had been dramatic. At one point her grandfather quietly mentioned to me how pleased he was that Angel Flight had replaced what had formerly been a tiring 5 hour plus car journey for the family with a flight of under an hour and a half. As Eddie and I flew back to Canberra we both agreed that the smiles on the faces of those around us back at Young had made it ‘our best flight ever’, tempered only by the sobering thought that Channae still has 2 years of chemo in front of her. We arrived back in Canberra just after 10:00 having completed a total flying time for the mission of around 3 hours 30 minutes. We hope circumstances will permit Aquila Helicopters to do more such flights in the future.

Chris Farrell, Chief Pilot
Aquila Helicopters, Canberra

The return to a family gathering at Young Airport.

On the ground at home, smiles all round.

"I reckon I could fly this".

Chris, Channae, Louise, Ian and Aquila 1.