Elevate and the entire Tempus family believe in using air travel as a platform for good. From humanitarian missions in Africa to moving doctors during medical emergencies, Tempus has built a company culture of outreach and assistance.

The following is an excerpt from a feature article published in the TEMPUS magazine spring 2015 issue.

Angel Flights: A volunteer group of pilots fly missions critical to medical needs of those less fortunate.

Angel Flight West was founded in 1983 as the Los Angeles chapter of the American Medical Support Flight Team. It links volunteer pilots in private aircraft and, when necessary, commercial airline partners like Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, with folks in need—and that need can take any number of forms. More often than not it is required medical care, but it can also be anything from a military combat veteran taking part in a therapeutic program to someone escaping the nightmare of domestic violence. Angel Flight West is even the “official airline” for a number of children’s special needs camps.

Aircraft owners and pilots volunteer their aircraft and time to help people get the care they need.

“Transportation is the biggest barrier to health care after cost,” explains Josh Olson, executive director of Angel Flight West. “Not only do we remove that barrier by providing donated flights at no cost to our passengers, but we come alongside those we serve and provide compassion and care by doing what we love—flying.

“Our volunteer pilots are incredible. They range from commercial airline pilots to Fortune 500 CEOs, from retired physicians to gearheads that scrape together their discretionary income to fly once a month. There is this misperception that private pilots are the evil ‘one percent.’ That’s just not true; on the contrary, AFW volunteer pilots are incredibly generous individuals that love to fly and love to help others who are less fortunate.”

Olson also points out how critical a role AFW can play in the actual treatment process. “We hear all the time from our passengers how meaningful these flights are to their medical treatment,” he says. “However, we hear more often how the actual flight itself is part of the healing process for them. Some have such compromised immune systems that they can’t fly on commercial airplanes or endure lengthy ground transportation. The fact that someone takes time out of their busy schedule to help them in a season in life that is completely overwhelming physically, emotionally, and financially is hugely impactful on their lives. Even having the opportunity to be above the clouds for a couple of hours in a hectic week is therapeutic for them.”

Whether medical care or disaster relief, private aircraft are a life line of support.

Today, volunteer pilots fly for a vast array of causes and reasons. Some, like Angel Flight and its sister organizations Airlift Hope and Mercy Flight Southeast, and LifeLine Pilots, focus mainly on medical and urgent transport needs. Others are devoted to disaster response and relief, animal rescue, endangered species relocation, awareness of environmental concerns, children’s causes, and even domestic violence evacuation. What these groups all have in common are volunteer pilots who donate their time, aircraft, and flight expenses for the aid and betterment of the cause or causes they wish to assist.

Want to learn more or volunteer? Air Charity Network’s Website

Learn more about Tempus’ citizenship programs.

Excerpts taken from full article that was originally published in TEMPUS Spring 2015 issue written by Scott Walsh.

The Elevate program focuses on the PC-12. The versatility and performance of the PC-12 are second to none, but we always like to keep our members apprised of new trends in aircraft. No matter the size, the private aircraft theme for 2015 is a combination of advanced technology, increased range, personal comfort and customization. Here are a few of the most exciting models available now or for pre-order.

 Pilatus PC-24

Available in 2017, the Pilatus PC-24 is a jack-of-all-trades, combining the versatility of a turboprop with the performance of a light jet. Much like the Swiss manufacture’s PC-12 turboprop, the PC-24 includes a rear cargo door, a cabin designed for quick and easy configuration, and “off-road” capability on short, unpaved runways. The short field performance is similar to a turboprop but the 489 mph maximum cruising speed and 2,244 mile range is all jet.

Price: $8.9 million Range: 2,200 miles Passenger Seats: 8+ depending on configuration

Pilatus PC-24

Cessna Citation Latitude

Even though it’s billed as a midsize business jet, the Latitude feels wide and spacious. Boasting a six-foot ceiling and nearly 6.5-foot width, the jet has an expansive feel that is further enhanced by a new window design that is 30% larger than typical Citation windows. The cabin seats nine in a club configuration along with two forward facing seats in the back. And with the wireless Clarity cabin management system, passengers may use their smartphones to control lighting, temperature and entertainment.

Price: $14.9 million Range: 3,100 miles Passenger Seats: 9 Available: 2015

Cessna Citation Latitude

Embraer Legacy 450

Brazilian company, Embraer, is fairly new to the business jet market but that hasn’t stopped them from dubbing the Legacy 450 a “game-changer.” The midsize 450 will seat up to nine in a six-foot tall, flat floor cabin, which will include two fully berthable club seat options that recline flat to create beds. The 450 will also be the first jet in its class to feature fly-by-wire controls, which uses electrical computer-monitors systems to control the aircraft’s rudders and wing flaps. According to Embraer, this technology creates one of the smoothest rides available.

Price: $15.25 million Range: 2,900 miles Passenger Seats: 7 Available: 2015

Embraer Legacy 450

Bombardier Global 7000

Launched in 2010, Bombardier’s Global 7000 program promised to develop “the ultimate” purpose-built large-cabin, ultra long-range business jet – uncompromising in comfort, utility and range. The 7000 features a four zone cabin that can be tailored into countless configurations of distinct working and living areas including an aft “home-like” master bedroom. Lighting, ergonomics and woodworking have been benchmarked against ultra-high-end automobiles such as Rolls Royce and Bentley. And with a fuselage measuring 111 feet and a wingspan of 104 feet, the 7000 comes just a few feet shy of the footprint of a Boeing 737.

Price: $72.4 million Range: 8,400 miles Passenger Seats: 10-19 Available: 2016

Bombardier Global 7000

Dassault Falcon 8X

With over 30 different floor plans including several lavatory layouts and three different galley sizes, the Dassault Falcon 8X offers the industry’s most flexible cabin. Entertainment and cabin management come in the form of the FalconCabin HD+ which connects with Apple devices to allow passengers to track flight progress and control the environment from anywhere in the cabin. The ultra-long range of the 8X connects Hong Kong and Paris, New York and Dubai, Los Angeles and Beijing. And with approach capability of up to 6 degrees, the 8X can serve challenging airports such as Long City Airport and Lugano, Switzerland that are normally not accessible to large cabin aircraft.

Price: $58 million Range: 7,400 miles Passenger Seats: 8 Available: 2016

Dassault Falcon 8X

Gulfstream G650ER

Although it shares the same cockpit, avionics and systems as the G650 the G650ER can carry an extra 4,000 pounds of fuel extending the aircraft’s range by 575 miles – which translates to 8,600 miles at Mach 0.85. According to Gulfstream this gives the ER the longest legs of any business jet, taking passengers from New York to Hong Kong or Dallas to Dubai, nonstop. While the jet’s 47-foot-long cabin comfortably seats up to 18 passengers, owners can choose from 12 available floor plans or create their own custom layout.

Price: $66.5 million Range: 8,600 miles Passenger Seats: Up to 18 Available: 2015

Gulfstream G650ER

Air travel isn’t easy. At Elevate, we’ve tried to remove all of the guesswork and cost variables to create a straight-forward membership program. It’s our goal for our members to focus on the travel experience and the destination adventure rather than accounting minutia and reservation red tape.

Tempus CEO, Scott Terry, penned the following editorial regarding air travel in today’s economic environment.

The dramatic drop in oil prices over the past nine months should be cause for celebration within the airline industry. A 50 percent reduction of the most significant expense item in any business is a profit driver, and jet fuel is no different. Air carriers around the world, however, have been slow to show excitement about strong earnings over the past two quarters. Why the cautious approach; why no increase in routes or reductions in fares?