What is the difference between AFIDS and VPOIDS? The simple answer is nothing – AFIDS and VPOIDS are the same system.
A little history – in 1999, then AFW Volunteer Steve Brandli created the system that was initially known as AFIDS. AFIDS stands for Angel Flight Information Database System. When AFIDS was created for AFW, it was setup to be an open source application. The vision that Steve had was for multiple Volunteer Pilot Organizations (VPOs) to be able to use the same resource and that the resource would be free. There would be some associated costs for changing logos, customizing etc, but the platform itself would be free. Initially it was just other Angel Flight organizations using AFIDS, but as the years went on, more and more other groups realized the benefit of this mission operations database. As of August 2022 there are 15 VPOs using VPOIDS.
Understandably, groups that were not Angel Flight groups would prefer their system not be called AFIDS. The decision was made to call it VPOIDS – Volunteer Pilot Organization Information Database System. Eventually it was determined to be less confusing if everyone used the VPOIDS designation. There still might be times you see it referred to as AFIDS – but we are working on updating all locations.