Page 23 - Twin and Turbine June 2017

Coach Mike
This college golf coach became acutely ill during a tournament in Nevada and was forced to stay behind in a hospital after the team returned home to Kansas City. It took the doctors several days to determine what was going on, and for a good portion of that time didn’t think he was going to survive. It was a huge scare for everyone involved. His kidneys and respiratory system began failing, and eventually the doctors determined he had an acute and sudden onset of an autoimmune system condition.
After several more days, the doctors were able to stabilize Mike to a point that he could attempt to travel home to continue his treatment in Kansas City. His doctor wouldn’t clear him to fly commercially or even to drive, so his only option was a turbine-powered aircraft that could make the journey nonstop and get him home quickly and checked into the KU Medical Center. Once again, a turbine class airplane was the only viable solution for Mike, and the coach and his family were so grateful to have him home in familiar surroundings on his long road to recovery.
These are but a few of the unique and deeply personal situations that we have had the opportunity of participating in over the years. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series on charitable aviation, and that you will feel inspired to t•ake the first steps on your own journey as a volunteer pilot. Flying an airplane is an amazing privilege, but flying to help others will prove to be an eternal blessing not just forthem,butforyoutoo. T&T
Joe Ratterman is an ATP pilot, type-rated in the Cessna Citation Mustang C510, with 2,500-plus hours in his logbook. Joe retired from a successful corporate executive career in 2015 and now flies as a professional charter pilot for Kansas City Aviation Company (KCAC) based in Overland Park, Kansas. He is also the current board chairman/president for Angel Flight Central.
National Flight Simulator Sixth Page
B/W Ad www.national ightsimu- lator.com
17 12 15
J
1
J
7
u
u
n
n
e
2
e
2
0
0
1
1
7
•
David Clark
1/2 Page 4/C Ad
www.davidclark.com
T
TW
WI
I
N
N
&
&T
TU
U
R
RB
BI
IN
NE
E
•2
21