Able Flight, Inc.
Changing lives through the challenge and freedom of flight.
Mission
Able Flight's mission is to offer people with disabilities a unique way to challenge themselves through flight training and aviation career training, and by doing so, to gain greater self-confidence and self-reliance.
Ruling year
2006
Principal Officer
Charles Stites
Main address
91 Oak Leaf Ln
Chapel Hill, NC 27516 USA
EIN
20-5001037
NTEE code
Philanthropy / Charity / Voluntarism Promotion (General) (T50)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Traditionally, people with significant physical disabilities have found few or very difficult pathways to entering aviation in the areas of flight training and aviation career training. It has been both a matter of outdated and restrictive physical qualification criteria, and perception of a person's potential.
By restricting entry into aviation for people with physical disabilities, governmental and industry entities have missed the opportunity to tap a larger group of individuals who are qualified, and only need an opportunity to prove themselves.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Flight and Aviation Career Training Scholarships For People With Disabilities
Able Flight awards types of aviation scholarships for people with disabilities:
The "Able Flight Scholarship" covers all flight and ground training, testing fees, books and manuals, and travel and lodging as required for training for the FAA Sport Pilot certificate.
The Aviation Career Training Scholarship provides support for technical, aviation management and other aviation career training (including air traffic control, flight dispatcher, etc.).
The "Return To Flight Scholarship" provides the opportunity to become a pilot again for those who already licensed and have left aviation due to injury and illness.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of people trained
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Flight and Aviation Career Training Scholarships For People With Disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Able Flight scholarship recipients who successfully complete training. Our training program was impacted by the pandemic in 2020, so we increased the amount of online training. In-peson training res
Number of people with physical disabilities receving flight training scholarships
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Flight and Aviation Career Training Scholarships For People With Disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Total number of scholarships awarded by year.
Number of people with physical disabilities receiving aviation career training scholarships
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Flight and Aviation Career Training Scholarships For People With Disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Total number of aviation career training scholarships by year.
Number of people with phsyical disabilities taking advantage of additional educational opportunities through university programs after Able Flight training
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Flight and Aviation Career Training Scholarships For People With Disabilities
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Graduates of Able Flight training who then enrolled in university-based training programs, specializing in aviation studies.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Able Flight's purpose is to use the power of accomplishment and success to create a profound change in the way that a person with a disability perceives their abilities, and in how others see them. It also seeks to provide aviation career training that will enable graduates to be self-reliant.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Able Flight provides flight training and aviation career training scholarships, and mentoring by industry professionals. Able Flight has established training partnerships with aviation training programs at Purdue University and others to provide flight training, and works with other accredited schools and facilities in support of aviation career training.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Able Flight is the only organization of its kind in the United States, and is uniquely positioned to bring together the necessary resources (training, mentoring, organizational) to fulfill its mission.
In 2022 Able Flight marked its sixteen anniversary since it was founded in 2006.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since it was founded in 2006, and since training began in 2007, Able Flight has awarded over 126 scholarships (as of January 2023). More than 80 individuals have completed intensive flight training programs and have earned FAA issued pilot certificates. Several have earned more than one certificate or rating, bringing the total of certificates and ratings to more than 80.
In addition, Able Flight has awarded 19 Aviation Career Training Scholarships (as of January 2022) for training in a variety of aviation professions.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
People with a variety of physical disabilities.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Able Flight, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/02/2023
Julia Spicer
Executive Director, MAVA
Julia Spicer
MAVA
Charles Stites
Able Flight
Ryan Kelly
Bernie Wulle
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 04/14/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
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