YOUNG has its very own angel of the skies in a man who has spent most of his life beneath headers.
Doug Benson would be known to most people through his long service to farmers locally, firstly through 21 years service at Jack Howard’s agricultural machinary business and now through his own farm machinery repair business.
But few would know that Doug has turned a passion for flying into something that is benefiting sick people all over NSW.
As a pilot for Angel Flight, Doug is often seen taxiing The Young Flying Group’s Cessna 172 in and out of Young Airport, bound for some distant destination.
Angel Flight is a charity that co-ordinates non-emergency flights to help country people trying to deal with issues of bad health, poor finances and distance to get much-needed treatment. All flights are free and involve patients travelling to medical facilities anywhere in Australia.
Doug first heard about Angel Flight when he watched a segment on Landline last October. Being semi-retired he thought it looked like a good thing to do and immediately applied.
Doug has flown 28 flights since he got his Angel wings in December. Most Angel Flight pilots average two flights per year.
Towns he’s visited, often twice, include Moree, Coonamble, West Wyalong, Narromine, Corryong and Lake Cargelligo.
Mostly he is ferrying residents requiring specialist treatment, but also those who are physically unable to travel long distances by car.
And he goes the extra mile. When he volunteered to transport Cootamundra girl, Tamara Taylor to Melbourne for a medical consultation, he and his wife flew a practice run to Coota to make sure Tamara’s wheelchair was able to fit into the aircraft.
“I really like to make sure they are comfortable,” he said.
“Because it is all about them.”
Because Doug has all the ratings; night, command instrument and his commercial pilot’s licence, he is getting flights other pilots are unable to take.
“I can fly day or night, in any weather,” he said.
Some of his missions would be considered high risk. He tells of a recent flight through a white-out somewhere over the Snowy Mountains, which he called, “a beautiful experience.”
He likens flying to skiing, “you have to be committed because it is dangerous”.
Also costly. A one way flight to Melbourne from Young, for instance, costs around $700. And while Angel Flight and Mobil pay fuel expenses and airport landing costs are waived, these missions personally cost Doug $50 per hour.
Money not being the issue, Doug simply loves what he is doing.
“Most of the people I fly around need help,” he said.
“They are that far away from medical help and it is nice to be able to give them a lift.”
He’s had his licence since he was 21 – some 40 years – but life and circumstance meant he wasn’t able to fulfil his dream of flying full-time. He did, however, work as a commercial pilot for the Howard family.
This commercial work, combined with his farm machinery experience, means he is often called upon to fly local farmers to remote locations to inspect farm machinery they are considering buying. For instance, last week he flew to Mount Gambier to inspect a header.
And then there are the leisure trips – which take him to far-off locations like Perth, Birdsville, Great Keppel Island and Ayers Rock.
But Angel Flights are another thing: “When I’m doing this I can be someone I want to be for one day at a time,” he said.
“I didn’t want to end up being a nothing,” he said.
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