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Angel Flight Southeast

Lutz pilot honored for his angel flights

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When Larry Marlewski flies his Mooney M201 out of Tampa Executive Airport, he’s often on a mission.

Patient Lance Toth with pilot Larry Marlewski at Vero Beach.
(Courtesy of Larry Marlewski)

He’s one of 650 volunteers who makes sure that Angel Flight Southeast passengers get the care they need. The pilots transport patients who have rare or complicated medical conditions and who have to travel hundreds of miles to and from their medical appointments.

Marlewski, like the other volunteers, donates his plane, fuel and time to transport those patients in need.

The Lutz man, along with Dr. Donna Shannon of St. Petersburg and Warren Cheatham of New Port Richey, are being recognized as “Pilot of the Year” Honorees for the Central Florida West Region.

Patient Rina Shlomo in Larry Marlewski’s Mooney M20J airplane in Ft. Lauderdale.

The recognitions will come on April 7 at the Dr. Franklin G. Norris Pilot Awards Gala, at the River Ranch Resort Airport in River Ranch.

“Pilot of the Year” is the highest honor awarded for Angel Flight Southeast pilots, according to a news release, announcing Marlewski’s selection.

Marlewski, who is retired, said providing the flights is his way of “paying back.”

“We, who have been blessed, are able to offer our service,” he said.

“Here in the Southeast, Angel Flight has flown thousands of passengers to and from medical facilities throughout the Southeast,” he said, noting the missions can be flown not only in Florida, but also in Georgia, Alabama and other states.

The organization has chapters nationwide, he added.

Patient Sacha Hunter Hobbs with her daughter, Tia Camp, and pilot Larry Marlewski and his Mooney M20J airplane at Ft. Pierce.

“We, here in Tampa, of course, are fortunate enough to have the Moffitt Cancer Center, so we get a fair amount of traffic going into and out of Moffitt,” Marlewski said.

Recently, he flew a cancer patient who needed a ride from Tampa back home to Panama City.

Marlewski learned to fly a long time ago, but set it aside for many years. After he took it back it up, he decided to get involved with Angel Flight.

The Angel Flight missions are close to his heart because he lost his first wife to cancer, and he also has friends who have suffered from the disease, he said.

Plus, he noted, making these flights is a good way to keep his Mooney up in the air.

“I enjoy flying,” Marlewski said.

Published April 5, 2017

They fly the friendly skies to help those in need

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By Sherri Lonon

Two local residents were nominated for pilot of the year honors for their dedication to the nonprofit that flies missions of mercy throughout the Southeast.

John Hanselman and David Trilling are on a mission to give back to others in need.

John Hanselman
John Hanselman

As pilots for Angel Flight Southeast, Trilling of Lutz and Hanselman of Odessa, give their time and donate their personal aircraft and fuel to take patients in need of medical care to appointments. Whether it’s transporting a child to another state for cancer treatments or flying a transplant organ from a donor hospital to a patient in need, Hanselman and Trilling stand ready to answer calls for help when they arise.

For their efforts, Angel Flight Southeast has nominated both Hanselman and Trilling for its pilot of the year award. The award is the highest honor Angel Flight bestows on its volunteer pilots.

Angel Flight Southeast is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that serves Florida. Through a network of about 650 volunteer pilots, the agency helps those who are unable to take commercial flights — whether for financial or medical reasons — get to their appointments within the state, or in other states. It’s part of the Air Charity Network, which logs more than 22,000 missions annually, according to Angel Flight’s website.

Trilling won pilot of the year during a ceremony Sunday night, while Hanselman received the “Above & Beyond” award, given to pilots who not only volunteer their time, planes and fuel for Angel Flight missions, but also work to raise awareness for the charity, and will often help with fundraising.

Hanselman and Trilling both say they are honored by the nominations and wins, but admit they don’t take to the skies in hopes of earning awards.

“Most pilots just absolutely love to fly, and they love to fly with purpose,” said Hanselman, who has been flying for Angel Flight for about a year.

Hanselman first learned about the organization in the 1980s while he was working on his pilot’s license. He promised himself if he was ever in a position to take part, he would.

When Hanselman retired and sold his stake in a business, he bought a Cessna 206h and kept that promise to himself. His first flight for the nonprofit was a year ago.

For Hanselman, being a part of such a “noble enterprise” is reward enough.

“I enjoy flying, and at the same time, it’s giving back,” he said.

Trilling’s motivations are similar.

David Trilling
David Trilling

“After five years of flying, earning ratings and certificates, I wanted to use the acquired flying skills to do interesting flying as well as give back to the community,” he said.

Trilling learned how to fly after working 35 years in the food research and development arena.

“After retiring, I consulted and learned how to fly, always having been interested in planes and the magic of flight,” he said.

Now a flight instructor and volunteer with Angel Flight, Trilling uses his personal plane, a Mooney, to conduct missions of mercy.

As for the nomination, Trilling is honored, but says that “all of the pilots who contribute their time and planes for this purpose are pilots of the year.”

For more information about Angel Flight, visit the nonprofit online at www.AngelFlightSE.org.