Mercy Flight Southeast

What Mercy Flight Southeast does

Mercy Flight Southeast (legal name: Mercy Flight Southeast, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer pilot organization founded in 1983 and headquartered at Leesburg International Airport in Florida. The organization coordinates free air transportation for financially distressed individuals who need to reach distant medical facilities, using a network of more than 700 volunteer pilots who donate their own aircraft, fuel, and time. Its service area covers Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas. Beyond core medical transport, the mission portfolio includes organ transplant coordination, special needs camp flights, domestic violence survivor relocation (Safe Haven program), adoption and foster care transport, compassion flights, and Homeland Security disaster relief under the HSEATS partnership.

Operationally, Mercy Flight Southeast runs mission coordination through AFIDS (Air Charity Network mission control system), supports electronic waiver signing via smartphone, and uniquely operates under a 2012 FAA exemption that allows it to reimburse volunteer pilots for fuel costs — the first such exemption granted to a volunteer pilot charity. Mission requests originate primarily through referrals from social workers, discharge planners, hospitals (including St. Joseph's Children's Hospital of Tampa, Miami Children's Hospital, Shriners Hospitals), and charitable partners (Ronald McDonald Houses, Make-A-Wish, American Cancer Society, Corporate Angel Network), with direct patient access via website and a staffed hotline.

The organization is funded entirely by individual donations, corporate/philanthropic contributions, and sponsored fundraising events (Poker Run, Swing for the Angels Pickleball, SFBAA Charity Golf Classic, galas, 5K races). It receives no government funding. Each $1 donated generates more than $10 of contributed flight services according to the organization's own claims. The organization is an affiliate of Air Charity Network (the largest U.S. public benefit flying network) and a member of Air Care Alliance, with formal partnership with the Department of Homeland Security through HSEATS since 2004. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors led by CEO Steve Purello.

Name

Mercy Flight Southeast

Legal name

Mercy Flight Southeast, Inc.

Website

https://mercyflightse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Mercy Flight Southeast is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that coordinates free air transportation for financially distressed patients via 700+ volunteer pilots using their own aircraft, serving Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Air Transportation

NAICS

Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Air Ambulance & Medical Passenger Charter Operators (THABADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD)

Keywords

• Free medical flights
• Volunteer pilot services
• Nonprofit air transportation
• Charity aviation missions
• Patient air transport

Headquarters

HQ city

Leesburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the charitable mission. Memorial and honor donations accepted. Generates $10+ in flight services per $1 donated.
2. Corporate/Philanthropic Donations: Contributions from companies and philanthropic organizations to fund administrative costs and operations. No government funding received.
3. Sponsored Events: Annual fundraising events including 5K race in Orlando, SFBAA Golf Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Poker Run, and Gala events organized with partner organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mercy Flight Southeast coordinates free air transportation using privately owned aircraft flown by 700+ volunteer pilots for financially distressed patients who need to reach distant medical facilities for treatment, clinical trials, transplants, chemotherapy, and other care. The service covers Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas, and is extended to special-needs camps, abuse victim relocation, adoption/foster care transport, and homeland security disaster relief missions, all delivered at no cost to passengers.

Product overview

Mercy Flight Southeast is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) volunteer pilot organization that operates as a single, unified service offering free medical air transportation. The core product is the coordination of volunteer pilot missions using private aircraft to transport financially distressed patients to distant medical facilities. Service offerings include Medical Missions, Transplant Missions, Special Needs Camp Flights, Domestic Abuse Relocation (Safe Haven Program), Homeland Security/Disaster Relief, Adoption/Foster Care Transportation, and Compassion Missions. The organization also provides Earth Angels, a ground transportation volunteer program for drivers who transport passengers between airports and medical facilities. The service coordinates approximately 2,500-3,000 missions annually through a network of over 700 volunteer pilots.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Medical Air Transportation Free air transportation by volunteer pilots using privately owned aircraft for financially distressed patients traveling to medical facilities, clinical trials, and follow-up care across the southeastern U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas.
• Medical Missions Free flights for patients traveling to medical evaluations, clinical trials, treatments, and follow-up care at distant medical facilities.
• Transplant Missions Coordinated flights for organ transplant recipients and living donors, often flown in the middle of the night with advanced planning.
• Special Needs Camp Flights Transportation for children with special needs or family members with special needs to summer camp programs, including camps for burn survivors and children with critical illnesses.
• Safe Haven Domestic Abuse Relocation Flights to relocate battered spouses and children from one state-accredited safe haven shelter to another, coordinated with shelter directors or case workers.
• Homeland Security / Disaster Relief (HSEATS) First responder missions supporting natural or man-made disasters through the HSEATS program, including flying survivors, relief personnel, and supplies.
• Adoption/Foster Care Transportation Flights for agency personnel, potential parents, monitored visitation, and child placement services.
• Compassion Missions Non-medical flights for compelling humanitarian reasons such as wounded veterans or attending functions that would otherwise be impossible.
• Earth Angels Ground Transportation Volunteer driver program providing ground transportation for passengers from airports to medical facilities and back, completing the door-to-door patient journey.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ missions per year coordinated
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Homeland Security (HSEATS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Mercy Flight Southeast became an official partner with the Department of Homeland Security through the Airport Transportation System (HSEATS) program, enabling coordinated disaster relief operations and official first responder status.
• Air Charity NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercy Flight Southeast is a proud member of Air Charity Network, the world's largest integrated volunteer pilot organization covering the entire United States. ACN handles 40,000+ requests annually with 7,500+ volunteer pilots and represents 90%+ of charitable aviation non-emergency flights in the nation.
• Air Care AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAir Care Alliance is a collaborative organization that lists groups performing public benefit flying for health care and patient transport. Mercy Flight Southeast maintains membership alongside Air Charity Network.
• First Class AerospaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporter featured on Mercy Flight Southeast's valued partners section. First Class Aerospace is an aviation interior refurbishment company led by CEO Steve Purello.
• Signature AviationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporter and FBO (Fixed Base Operator) hosting Alabama Wing meetings at Huntsville International Airport. Aviation services provider for volunteer pilot operations.
• SFBAA (South Florida Business Aviation Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSFBAA organizes the annual Charity Golf Classic held at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens as a fundraising event for Mercy Flight Southeast.
• Aircraft GuysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAviation-focused organization that organizes Gala events in South Florida and has donated websites to other Air Charity Network members.
• PilotMall.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternet pilot supply retailer extending 10% military and veteran discount to active Mercy Flight Southeast members. Available at online store and two Florida locations.
• Ronald McDonald HousesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCharitable organization providing housing for families of sick children. Mercy Flight Southeast coordinates missions for families receiving help from Ronald McDonald Houses.
• Shriners Hospitals for ChildrenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHealthcare system providing specialized pediatric care. Mercy Flight Southeast provides transportation for children to and from Shriners Hospitals.
• Make-A-Wish FoundationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWish-granting organization for children with critical illnesses. Mercy Flight Southeast has worked with Make-A-Wish to meet transportation requests for wish fulfillment.
• American Cancer SocietyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCancer organization that refers patients needing transportation to Mercy Flight Southeast for treatment at distant medical facilities.
• Corporate Angel Network (CAN)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRelated aviation-oriented charity that places cancer patients on corporate flights. Mercy Flight Southeast receives referrals and coordinates with CAN.
• AirLifeLineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAviation charity providing free medical transportation. Related organization that Mercy Flight Southeast receives referrals from.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Angel Flight East: Regional Air Charity Network affiliate providing free volunteer-pilot flights to medical patients in the Northeast U.S. Closely comparable operating model to MFSE but operating in a different geography; together they form the ACN nationwide network.
• Pilots For Patients: Louisiana-based volunteer pilot organization providing free medical air transport for patients in need. Directly comparable mission and operating model to MFSE, but with a more limited geographic footprint primarily serving the Gulf South.

Direct peers

• Corporate Angel Network: Charitable aviation organization placing cancer patients on corporate aircraft for free travel to specialized treatment. Directly comparable to MFSE as a referral-based volunteer pilot nonprofit serving financially distressed medical patients.
• Air Charity Network: Umbrella organization of which MFSE is a member; coordinates the broader U.S. volunteer pilot network (7,500+ pilots, 40,000+ requests/year). Directly comparable as the parent network providing non-emergency medical air transport through affiliated volunteer pilot organizations.
• Patient AirLift Services (PALS): Volunteer pilot nonprofit arranging free air transportation for medical patients and veterans in the Northeast U.S. Closely comparable model: volunteer pilots, free flights, referral-based mission coordination, and nonprofit funding through donations.
• Hope Flight: Volunteer pilot nonprofit arranging free flights for children and adults needing access to distant medical care. Directly comparable mission, donor-supported model, and referral-driven coordination process.
• Lifeline Pilots: Volunteer pilot nonprofit providing free air transportation for medical and humanitarian needs across the Midwest. Directly comparable model to MFSE, with similar reliance on donated aircraft, fuel, and pilot time.
• Air Care Alliance: Collaborative organization listing public benefit flying groups, including MFSE. Directly comparable as a coalition of volunteer aviation charities focused on healthcare, patient transport, and humanitarian missions.
• Veterans Airlift Command: Network of volunteer pilots providing free air transportation to wounded warriors, veterans, and their families for medical care and compassionate needs. Closely comparable operational model focused on humanitarian air transport.

Emerging players

• Mercy MedFlight: Charitable medical air transport provider offering free or low-cost flights for patients needing specialized care. Comparable mission in providing affordable air transportation to medical patients, though structured as a paid medevac operator with charitable components.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Mercy.Flight.SE
• Instagraminstagram.com/mercyflightsoutheast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mercy-flight-southeast

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mercy Flight Southeast