Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What exactly is Egairo?
A: Egairo is a nonprofit organization that provides flights at no cost for special medical needs. Established in 2000, Egairo is owned and managed by a group of volunteers, including airline pilots and administrative staff, who operate out of Springfield, Ohio, but minister to people from all over the country. 

Q: How can I contribute?
A: The biggest challenge facing Egairo continues to be a financial one. Most individual flights cost between $500 and $750, depending on the location, and we rely on the donations of others to get each flight off the ground. Although the administrative costs are taken care of in-house, each new mission has individual operating costs, the largest being fuel.
You can also contribute to Egairo by spreading the word, by making people aware of what we do. If you have any questions or comments, or would like to find out how else you can help, don’t hesitate to contact us directly—we’d love to hear from you!

Q: How big should a donation be?
A: We gladly accept donations of any size. Every donation we receive goes directly towards the cost of the next flight, and because we are an officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group, each contribution you make is 100% tax-deductible.

Q: How many flight requests do you get?
A: Nationwide, there are about 900 requests for this type of transportation every year, and through all the various nonprofit organizations around the country, roughly 400 get filled. We try to complete at least two flights per month, but we can do up to six, depending on how much funding we receive.

Q: How do you decide who gets to fly?
A: LifeLine Pilots and Angel Flight do all the patient screening. The following is a list of their criteria for becoming a passenger:
• Have a medical or humanitarian need far from home
• Have a financial need for assistance
• Be able to fly in a non-pressurized aircraft
• Be able to board the aircraft with minimal assistance
• Be able to sit upright in a standard aircraft seat
• Be willing to sign a liability release form and provide a photo ID
• Provide own transportation to and from the airport

Q: Whom should I contact if I know someone who might qualify as a passenger?
A: If you think you or someone you know might qualify as a passenger, and that person lives in the Midwest, you can contact a mission coordinator at LifeLine Pilots at phone #800-822-7972. In the East and Southeast, please contact a mission coordinator at Angel Flight, phone #800-296-3797. And if you have any other questions or comments, you can always contact us directly.

Q: What’s the turnaround for a flight once you get the funding?
A: The turnaround for a flight is exceptionally fast. Once we receive the necessary funding, we will typically conduct a mission, if available, in less than a week. Unlike other organizations, we actually try to keep our bank balance at $0 by applying the money as quickly as possible.

Q: Why not just send people through commercial flights?
A: Three reasons. One is cost, because most of our passengers are financially disadvantaged, and the total fees for flying a person with his or her family, round-trip, is rather expensive. With all the long lines, security procedures, and flight delays, the second reason for not flying commercial is the physical toll those flights can take on an individual, especially one dealing with an illness. The third reason is location: we can pick up passengers at a nearby, local airport, and drop them off closer to their desired destination than a commercial flight can.

Q: Would you consider Egairo to be an “air ambulance?”
A: No. We are not an an air ambulance or air charter service. We do not fly people who need in-flight medical supervision. All of our passengers must be able to board with little or no assistance.

Q: What kind of plane(s) do you fly?
A: Currently we operate two airplanes: a Cessna 177 Cardinal, and a Cessna 172 Skyhawk.

Q: How did you get the name “Egairo”?
A: The word “egairo” comes from the Greek New Testament portion of the Bible. It translates, “to bear aloft for healing,” and since our organization flies people to destinations of medical treatment, the name fits perfectly.

Q: How long will Egairo operate?
A: In the words of our president, Brian MacLeod: “As long as we can!”