3 minute read
From Pianist to Pilot: Meet Volunteer Pilot Jacob Campbell
By Jessica Hayes
Like many pilots, Jacob’s interest in aviation began at a young age. Growing up in Livermore, California, Jacob’s father would take him to the local municipal airport to watch planes from the observation deck. Captivated by each takeoff and landing, this experience eventually led Jacob to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a pilot.
During high school, Jacob began flight training to earn his private pilot license (PPL). Over the next four years, he earned his private, instrument, and commercial licenses from flight schools in the Livermore area. His grandmother funded his college education, allowing Jacob to cover the cost of his flight training. “My parents paid for piano lessons when I was younger,” says Jacob. “That allowed me to perform piano gigs for compensation in high school and college, and that money went straight toward the cost of licenses and ratings.”
Today, Jacob is an engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area, living close to his family and friends. When he isn’t working or enjoying time with loved ones, Jacob uses his passion and talent for flying to make an incredible impact with Angel Flight West (AFW), an organization that connects volunteer pilots with patients in need of distant medical care.
Renting Cessna 182s and 206s from Advantage Aviation in Palo Alto, Jacob flew his first AFW flight in 2019 and has since completed 28 more missions. “I heard about AFW shortly after getting my private pilot’s license,” Jacob recalls. “I loved the idea of flying longer trips, and it allowed me to engage in a customer-facing role. The experience with AFW so far has been exactly as advertised—I am thrilled to lend a hand by flying missions.”
Each day, volunteer pilots donate their time, talent, and resources to ensure patients have access to medical care across the West. Since the organization was founded in 1983, AFW has completed more than 100,000 missions, serving nearly 25,000 unique passengers.
During the summer months, AFW also partners with camp organizations to fly children—including young burn survivors, children navigating life-threatening illnesses, and deaf children—to specialty programs tailored to their unique needs. When reflecting on his angel flight memories, Jacob reminisces about a mission he flew for sibling campers Marisa and Jaden, bringing them home after their week at Lions Wilderness Deaf Camp. “Each family member was deaf or hard of hearing,” says Jacob. “Their mother signed and spoke, ‘Thank you so much’ to me on the ramp at Livermore Airport. It was the most beautiful sentence ever spoken to me.”
Speaking of the loved ones who have helped him along the way, Jacob says, “It’s clear when I retrace my steps to the beginning of my pilot training journey, it was the generosity of my family that made it possible for me to do what I do today. I’m just one general aviation pilot who had the opportunity to join AFW’s cause.”
“I am thankful to be part of the organization.”
AFW needs volunteer pilots to join their charitable aviation cause. You choose when and how often you fly, all while helping patients on the runway to recovery. Learn more at http://angelflightwest.org/ pilot-page or email volunteerinfo@angelflightwest.org for more information.
