LES HASSELL
Above: Robert Davis, left, and Jim Hurst are seen in front of their airplanes in a hangar at the East Texas Regional Airport.
LES HASSELL
Richard Hamilton checks a grounding strap Feb. 10 at the Gilmer Municipal Airport before fueling his plane for a flight to Houston.
LES HASSELL
Dr. Richard Hamilton fuels his plane for a flight to Houston Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 at the Gilmer Municipal Airport.
LES HASSELL
Dr. Richard Hamilton pulls his Beechcraft from its hangar at the Gilmer Municipal Airport before a flight to Houston Friday, Feb. 10, 2012.
Michael Cavazos
Dr. Richard Hamilton pulls his Beechcraft from its hangar at the Gilmer Municipal Airport before a flight to Houston Friday, Feb. 10, 2012.
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Grace Flight pilot Jim Hurst helps Holly Sanders of Decatur into his plane this past Sunday at Houston’s Hobby Airport before taking off for the East Texas Regional Airport. Sanders had reconstructive jaw surgery after having a tumor removed. ~
Atrio of Longview pilots are using their time and aircraft to benefit people with serious illnesses.Robert Davis, Richard Hamilton and Jim Hurst are part of Grace Flight of America, an organization that provides free transportation to and from major medical centers for people with cancer or other life-threatening medical conditions. None of the three men are professional pilots — Davis and Hamilton are dentists, while Hurst owns an auto dealership.
“I like to fly, and I like to help people,” Hurst said. “This allows me to get some flying time in and feel like I’m actually accomplishing something, not just spending my time and money on a hobby.”
Hurst has been involved in the program for almost a decade and has flown more than 200 Grace Flights.
“The people you meet doing this are great,” Hurst said. “I realize how lucky I am when I’m providing transport for somebody with a serious illness.”
The majority of the flights are to or from Houston’s Hobby Airport, and most of the patients have cancer and are being treated at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. However, patients with a variety of ailments being treated in places around the country can and do take part in the program.
Pilots log onto the Grace Flight website to find out when transportation is needed and choose the flight that best suits their schedule. Longer flights are divided into legs, and a pilot can fly all or part of a route.
Hamilton is an Air Force veteran, although he didn’t learn to fly while in the service.
He is a relatively new participant to the program, having started flying with Grace Flight in 2008.
“It’s very rewarding,” Hamilton said. “I’ve only been flying for about six years, but participating in the Grace Flights is absolutely awesome. I’m glad I have the capability to be part of this program.”
Like the other two pilots, Hamilton had high praise for the ground crew volunteers and office staff of Grace Flight.
“They do a good job of coordinating schedules and making sure people are on hand to transport patients from the airport to the hospital,” Hamilton said. “It’s just a neat group of people and something that’s a lot of fun to be a part of.
“Unfortunately, because of the cost of fuel, it’s not something I can do quite as often as I’d like,” he said.
Recently, Hamilton has been spending most of his in-the-air time flying his father back and forth to Houston for medical treatment.
Davis took a break from flying for about a decade, when his children were small and his dental practice was getting established, but got back into it in 2007.
“Being part of Grace Flights allows me to really enjoy flying,” Davis said. “When I’m up there transporting a patient, I know I’m accomplishing something important, not just having fun.”
Davis said he was torn between commercial aviation and dentistry as a teenager. He finally decided to pursue dentistry professionally, because flying was something he could still do as a hobby.
“It wouldn’t have worked the other way around,” Davis said. “I don’t think people would have let me fix their teeth if I was only doing it for fun. Also, this has allowed me to retain the joy of flying; it’s not a job for me, it’s just a pleasure.”
Grace Flight is a needed program, he said. The network makes sure patients have door-to-door transportation from their home to the hospital and back.
“I believe God put us on this planet to be of service to one another, and being part of Grace Flights is one of the ways I try to serve both the Lord and other people,” Davis said.
“Everybody who’s involved with this program is very giving, very helpful,” Davis said. “I feel like I get way more back from it than what I put into it.”
About Grace Flight
Grace Flight of America does not require a passenger to meet financial guidelines to qualify for a flight. The group’s primary mission is to fly people for scheduled medical treatment not available locally, such as chemotherapy or specialized surgery.
The group asks that passengers have a compelling need before they ask for transportation.
The group’s pilots donate time, aircraft and expenses to help people who otherwise would not be able to travel for medical treatment.
Go to www.graceflight.org or call 1 (888) 500-0433 to find out about requirements and how to submit paperwork.
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