DENVER — A private pilot is offering to fly people who need to get to appointments after the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) shut down a bridge on U.S. Highway 50.
The bridge connects Gunnison to Montrose. A safety inspection found the bridge was cracked. A new detour between the two cities turned a one or two-hour drive into a six or seven-hour drive. The pilot will offer the free flights even after the bridge is back open.
“Payback time,” said private pilot and tour bus driver Steve Menzies. “We are going to pay it forward and take care of them. Some people need to get to their doctor appointments or dialysis treatments or cancer treatments. Veterans need to get to the VA hospital.”
Menzies said the flight would take about 45 minutes, and it's completely free to the patient.
“I came up with the idea,” Menzies said. “I just reached out to all of them and I said, ‘Hey, what do you guys think about helping out Gunnison?’ And I got a huge response back.”
Menzies said he has about eight pilot friends on board.
“We are your taxi in the air, is what we are,” Menzies said.
They’ll take you to and from any appointments you have, while the bridge is closed, and after.
“Instead of just going up and drawing circles in the sky just to get some hours, now we have some purpose,” Menzies said.
The miles both up above and down below are fueled by his passion.
To book a flight, click here.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS