Posted on February 3, 2004 at 4:35 p.m.

WHAT:

Angel Flight, an organization of pilots who volunteer to fly their own aircraft on humanitarian missions, will carry UAB and other Birmingham healthcare workers on the first leg of Medical Mission Ecuador (MME), from Birmingham to Miami. They will fly some MME members back from Miami on Feb. 15. MME is a non-profit, volunteer effort by doctors, nurses and others to provide reconstructive surgery and other health care to indigent villagers in the mountains around the city of Ambato, Ecuador. (The main body of volunteers will depart Birmingham by commercial air on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. on Continental Airline.)

WHEN:

Wednesday, Feb. 4
6:30-7:30 a.m.

WHO:

David M. Knies
Angel Flight trip coordinator

Rebecca Langner
UAB Registered Nurse

WHERE:

Mercury Air Center
From I-59 North take Oporto-Madrid exit 131 and turn left. From I-59 South, take the 1st Ave. N. Exit 132 turn left and go to Oporto-Madrid and turn right. Once on Oporto-Madrid, pass the Texaco on the right at the traffic light and follow the sharp zigzag through a neighborhood. Park at Mercury and come into the lobby. Call Mercury at 599-7613 if necessary.

BACKGROUND:

Angel Flight is primarily known for volunteer flights for individual patients who need help getting to necessary medical treatment elsewhere. Its corps of trained owner-operator pilots is available to help other types of humanitarian missions such as MME.

SCHEDULE:

6:30 a.m. – Passengers arrive BHM-Mercury Air Center
6:50 a.m. – Pilots’ Meeting
7:15 a.m. – First flight departs. Four other flights are staggered through 7:55 a.m.