INITIAL TRIP REQUEST: Four-and-a-half month old Arkaishia from Hobart was born with a tumor on her heart. It is a very rare condition and there were grave concerns she may not survive. However, the operation at the Royal Childrens Hospital in Melbourne was sucessful, and Arkaishia needed hospital care for several more weeks.
This was a compassionate Angel flight Arkaishia's mother Winona to collect her two other daughters from Hobart as the family have been separated for some months.
Angel Flight has previously helped this family by flying the grandparents from Hobart to Melbourne to support the parents during this difficult time.
Angel
flight 1 by Virgin Blue
This is Virgin Blue's 38th Angel flight
Previous mission for Virgin Blue - M755
AF1.
Originally
to be flown by Allan Elliot with John Gleeson as co-pilot, the weather
in Melbourne was constant and heavy rain. Alan postponed the flight as
weather was due to clear by early afternoon.
As the weather did not clear Alan had to call
off the flight. Angel Flight sponsored a ticket for Noni with Virgin Blue.
Bruce Cann - Pilot
Rafael Bieber - Earth Angel
(Rafael's 7th Angel flight)
Angel flight 2 by Bruce Cann
This is Bruce's 4th Angel flight
Previous mission for Bruce - M712 AF1.
Comment by Bruce
"Departed Moorabbin at 7.00 am local time.
I took John, my instructor, along for the ride. Into the cloud at 800
ft, popped out on top at 5000ft - briliant sunshine. Continued the climb
to 9000ft, saw a few hill tops when we got to Tazzie. Got cleared by the
ILS into Hobart. Our passengers were at Tas-Air - a local charter company.
They were very nice and helped with the bags.
All aboard, back into the cloud on top at 4000ft, back to Essendon, where I asked for a slow decent because of the kids ears - a little rough on ILS. When we landed, the Earth Angel was waiting. Ahappy ending to a good mission. Many thanks."