Exceptions to the New Waiver Process; Information about the New Mission Assistant Policy

As a reminder, in October 2018, Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act, which includes liability protection for pilots who fly for public benefit. Please click on this link to learn more about the details.

Table of Contents

1. New Waiver Process
   1. Exception 1: New Companions
   2. Exception 2: Mission Liability Waiver for Your Record
2. New Mission Assistant Policy

(1) New Waiver Process

AFW will no longer require waivers to be signed plane-side or car-side for each mission. Instead, the Mission Operations Team will collect a one-time waiver from all passengers and their companions. This waiver is collected as part of the clearance process for all missions. The one-time waiver will apply towards all future missions for each passenger and their companions. You can access the one-time waivers in the "My Flights" on our website.

There are TWO important exceptions that you should review for your missions.

Exception 1: New Companions

If the companion present on the day of the flight isn't listed in the itinerary, then it's possible that the AFW Office hasn't collected a one-time waiver for that companion. This new companion is required to sign the mission liability waiver through the "Add additional signature" function prior to departure.

Please collect companion name, weight, phone # and/or email address and date of birth. The Presenting Volunteer should then email the mission # and companion information to missionsteam@angelflightwest.org so that the Mission Operations Team can collect the one-time waiver from the new companion at a later date. 

Exception 2: Mission Liability Waiver for Your Record

Some volunteers have expressed a desire to continue collecting mission liability waivers plane-side/car-side. Prior to departure, you may still collect a mission liability waiver signed by all parties. This mission liability waiver is in addition to the one-time liability waiver that is already on file for each passenger and companion. Unlike the one-time waiver, the mission liability waiver has a mission number and a place for the Volunteers, Mission Assistants, Passengers and Companions to submit their signatures. 

Should you choose to collect a liability waiver for your mission, please review the information about each signer.

• Command Pilots and Earth Angels - Please scroll down to #12 in the waiver, titled "Optional Portion for Presenting Volunteer", and sign your name in the "Presenting Volunteer" section. Your name will be pre-filled next to "Presenting Volunteer". This portion indemnifies the Presenting Volunteer from the passengers.
• Mission Assistants - There are two places for Mission Assistants.
  • (1) Please scroll down to #12 in the waiver, titled "Optional Portion for Presenting Volunteer", the Mission Assistant should sign and, if not already pre-filled. type their name in the "Volunteer/Mission Assistant" section. This portion indemnifies the Mission Assistant from the passengers.
  • (2) Mission Assistant should sign and, if not already pre-filled, type their name in the Mission Assistant section underneath the Passenger and Companion sections. This portion indemnifies the Presenting Volunteer from the Mission Assistant.

• Passengers and Companions should sign and type their names where appropriate.
  • Where applicable, parents or guardians will sign for any minors/mentally incompetent persons on the trip in the "Parent/Guardian" section.
  • Where applicable, passengers and companions will sign as the "Passenger" or "Companion/Passenger".

You can access the electronic mission waiver at multiple access points. Please click on this link for more details on these access points.

• Itinerary Email
• “Your Angel Flight Today” Email
• Mobile App
• VPOIDS Website - “My Flights”

Important Note: Please hit “Save & Send Waiver” at the bottom of the page, and wait for a “Thank You” page to confirm that your submission has been received. You should receive an email with a copy of the submitted waiver.

Important Note: In case of technical challenges - especially at remote airports - please keep hard copies of the updated waiver in your aircraft or car along with stamped envelopes. Please click on this link for the updated waiver. Please mail or fax the waiver if needed prior to departure. Or, you can email a photo of the signed waiver to missionsteam@angelflightwest.org 

(2) New Mission Assistant Policy

Any person who joins the trip and is not the passenger, companion or Command Pilot or Earth Angel is considered a Mission Assistant. All Mission Assistants must now be an AFW Volunteer to participate on a mission.By limiting Mission Assistants to AFW Volunteers only, we eliminate the need to collect a mission liability waiver plane-side or car-side.

Mission Assistants can become AFW Volunteers by signing up at this link or by going to our website and clicking on "Join Angel Flight West". The AFW Office strongly encourages all Mission Assistants to sign up in advance of the mission date.

If your Mission Assistant changes on the day of the mission, they are still required to sign up as an AFW Volunteer plane-side or car-side prior to the mission.