Pride of Australia: Angel Flight pilot Allen Hilton clocks up 242 volunteer flights
Allen Hilton wouldn’t call himself an angel — but he has the wings and many would see a halo too. The Milperra pilot has just clocked up 10 years and 242 flights for Angel Flight.
The Express
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Allen Hilton wouldn’t call himself an angel — but he has the wings and many would see a halo too.
The Milperra pilot, who has been nominated for the Pride of Australia award, has just clocked up 10 years and 242 flights for Angel Flight — a charity that flies country people requiring ongoing health care to the city.
The building contractor of 40 years, said he never set out to be a pilot but had always had a “burning” interest in aviation. After getting his licence in 2000, he bought a Cessna Cardinal and on November 2, 2007, he made his first Angel Flight.
Over the past decade Mr Hilton has flown over 100 families about 240,000km across NSW, volunteering more than 1000 hours out of Bankstown Airport.
Part of the reason he continues to get behind the controls, Mr Hilton says, is because he knows personally what many of the families are going through.
Two years ago, Mr Hilton and his wife Lyn lost their daughter to ovarian cancer.
“We only had to drive 25 minutes to hospital so we can’t imagine what it’s like for people in the country,” he said.
Mr Hilton has grown very attached to all of the families he has helped and keeps a folder-full of “thankyou”’ cards from his young passengers. Some of the cards are from siblings Hunter and Madeleine Lawson — who Mr Hilton has flown countless times.
Both teenagers suffer from gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Their mum, Lisa Lawson, said Mr Hilton and Angel Flight have been a godsend over the years — making the 1000km round trip from Quirindi, in northwest NSW, less daunting.
“(Allen) has seen my kids grow up and has been flying Hunter since he was four — he’s 15 now,” she said.
“He’s just the most beautiful man and we’re very lucky.”
Angel Flight CEO Marjorie Pagani said 242 flights was a remarkable contribution.
“Pilots like Allen are the backbone of the Angel Flight community and without them Angel Flight wouldn’t exist,” Ms Pagani said.
“Allen has made a huge difference to the lives of hundreds of rural and regional people going through difficult times.”
Angels in the sky
The Pride of Australia Medal celebrates the best unsung community heroes who help others. It is presented by NewsLocal, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph. Nominate at prideofaustralia.com.au by midnight on November 19.