E made his first flight for Pilots n
Paws in 2009, and since then he's made dozens of flights and carried
nearly 600 dogs. Other pilots ask him a lot of questions about PnP,
so he put together a list of some of the FAQs. These are E's thoughts, and not those of PnP. Other pilots might have other ideas. If you have a question which isn't answered below, please let us know.
What kind of airplane do I need to have
to fly for PnP? Any plane will work. I've teamed with people who've
flown two-seaters, a Citation, and everything in between. Most PnP
pilots fly four-seaters. I have a 1965 Cherokee 140.
What pilot qualifications are required?
You need to be legal to fly as a private (or above) pilot or a sport
pilot.
Do I need to be instrument rated? No.
Many pilots I've flown with are VFR only. If you are thinking of
getting your instrument rating, these flights are a great way to
build up your cross-country time. If you volunteer for a flight and
it looks like there will be IFR conditions along your route, you can
always ask an instrument rated pilot to go along or you might be able
to find a CFII to go with you so you can log the instrument time. If
you can't find someone IRF-rated to fly with you, postpone the
flight!
Who pays for the fuel? You do. You
are donating your time, your airplane, your fuel, etc. PnP is a
501(c)(3) organization as are many of the sending and receiving
rescue groups. Check with your tax advisor to find out to what
extent your costs are tax deductible.
What distance is a typical flight?
Usually, I fly about 200 nm each way. These flights are almost
always relays, involving two or more pilots. The length of each leg
depends upon each pilot's plane, comfort level, and budget. It's
nice if each leg is about the same length, however this isn't always
possible due to where the pilots are based.
How often do you fly? I fly, on average, about twice each month. The number of flights you make is completely up to you. Because of the overwhelming need along the Eastern seaboard, I could fly every day and never run out of dogs waiting to be transported.
Do you ever fly anything other than
dogs? I've flown seven cats. Other people have flown birds and
other animals. Usually, though, my passengers have been dogs.
Where do the dogs come from and where
do they go? Nearly all of the dogs I've flown have come from
high-kill shelters. Most of them have been pulled from the shelters
by rescue organizations who find foster homes for them until they can
be transported to receiving rescue groups who will find permanent
homes for them.
How are the dogs restrained in the
plane? Dogs can be carried in crates or they can be tethered or both.
Where do I get crates? I buy crates at
rummage sales and garage sales. I have crates in various shapes and
sizes, and I can combine them to maximize my dog-carrying capacity.
Remember, you're going to be disinfecting the crates in between uses,
so pay attention to how your crates come apart. Some crates have
lots of fiddly little parts and require lots of time to take apart
and put together. I put a couple of old bath towels in the bottom of
my crates to make things a little more comfortable for the dogs and
to absorb any messes the dogs might make in the crates.
Do tethered dogs ever make a mess in
the plane? Once in a while. In my experience, it's nothing major if
you're prepared for it. I bought a small tarp and a mover's blanket
at Harbor Freight for less than $10, and I spread these out in the
plane (the blanket on top of the tarp) when I'm carrying tethered
dogs. I also carry a supply of old towels and a roll of paper
towels. Plus, I remind the sending rescue groups not to feed the
dogs breakfast on the morning of a flight. I've never had a tethered
dog pee in the plane. I've had a few dogs toss their cookies. I've
had one dog poop, but he was polite about it and unrolled the roll of
paper towels and pooped on a towel. No, I am not kidding. This
actually happened. Blanco, you know who you are (and now, so does everyone else).
How many dogs can I carry at one time?
I've carried one dog (who weighed 130 pounds) and I've carried a mom
plus her 12 puppies (the noise-canceling headphones came in handy).
It depends upon the space you have available. In my plane, it's
legal to remove the two rear seats, which gives me quite a bit of
room in the rear.
How do I find out about flights? The
best way is to go to the PnP website (
www.pilotsnpaws.org)
and click on Sign Up For the Forum. When the next page comes up,
click on Login. Then you can Register. When you fill out your
profile, you will be asked the distance you are willing to fly one
way. If you say you're willing to fly 100 miles one way, you will
receive an email alerting you whenever there is a flight request
which will likely come within 100 miles of where you are based. When
you get these emails, you can use them to take you to the request
where you can post an offer to help.
What do you like about these flights?
PnP flights give me a good reason to fly. Also, my flight skills
have improved because I'm not flying into the same few airports over
and over again. I've met a lot of very nice pilots and rescue
volunteers. Some airports offer discounts on fuel to pilots making
rescue flights, which I appreciate. Finally, there are the “warm
fuzzies” I get from knowing I've helped a few animals avoid
euthanasia.
