This Pilatus Porter brings people together.

She carries people to extraordinary places — and a little closer to a heartfelt wish.

My heartfelt wish

She stands in a meadow, her wings still wet with morning mist. In a moment the engine springs to life, almost defiantly, and then she lifts off, slower than most aircraft. She lands between mountains and on short strips. In places where the next road would be a long way off.

Who’s flying there

She wears her journey on her skin.

She is olive green, a legacy of her days with the Austrian military. Viennese artist Emanuel Jesse left it that way. The colour is part of who she is.

The artwork, up close

Over the green he laid the contour lines of Denali, North America’s highest mountain. A salmon, birds, a bear whose eye is one of the windows. None of it is accidental. And on a map, finely traced, the route the Porter flew from Alaska all the way to Switzerland. Where the Flying Angel emblem sits today, she once carried the mark of her old home, “Fly Alaska”. The paintwork stayed; only the logo moved to Switzerland with her.

Encounters

“Smile – no smile, no photos.”

It was getting on towards evening. We flew two aircraft into the highlands, had a leisurely dinner, nothing special was planned. The spectacular pictures only happened on the flight back. Deon, the photographer, sat in the other aircraft, flown by a young pilot from Reykjavík. From there he gave the Porter’s pilot his directions: “Lower, lower still, closer to the fire, once more around that curve.” And in between, again and again: “Smile – no smile, no photos.”

The Porter banking over flowing lava streams, smoke in the evening light.
More from our Iceland journey

Fly along

The most important person on board isn’t at the controls.

In the end, it’s about the person who climbs aboard. About a long-held wish. About a day that may end differently than it began.

Some journeys can’t be walked. This one, they flew.

They arrived that Saturday morning, four of them — three guests and a companion. The aircraft stood ready, green with its white lines. A moment to touch the plane, one last photo, and then it was time to climb in. Buckling up took a little longer; that was fine. Then the engine, the lift-off — and after a few minutes the cabin fell quiet. Outside, the Säntis, the Grosser Mythen and the Churfirsten drifted past. One of them pointed out of the window; another simply looked. After landing, it took a while before anyone spoke. Some impressions need to settle before they can be put into words.

Three beaming guests waving from the cabin of the Pilatus Porter before take-off.
See wishes come true

The invitation

Want to come along? Tell us why.

Maybe you have that one reason you have never told anyone. Tell us. Ideally in a short video message: look into the camera and tell us what this flight would mean to you. One minute is enough.

Sven Düring and Franziska speak together — because flying is a matter of trust.

“We can’t take everyone along, as much as we wish we could. But we read every story that reaches us — and sometimes a story becomes a flight.”

We confirm every submission and get back to you personally once we have read your story.

Frequently asked questions

Good to know,
before you fly.

And if anything is left open: just write to us.

What does a flight cost?

For the person flying along: nothing. A heartfelt wish is not something you can buy from us. The foundation carries the cost of the flights. And now and then we donate a flight as a prize at a fundraising event, for a good cause.

Can I book a flight?

No. Flying Angel is not a sightseeing-flight operator. If you would like to fly along, tell us your story via the “Fly along” page.

Who can fly along?

In principle, anyone with a heartfelt wish. We cannot take everyone along, but we read every story.

How safe is it, and how are passengers insured?

An experienced, licensed pilot flies the aircraft. The plane and everyone on board are comprehensively covered by Zurich Insurance, with passenger and liability cover in line with current European requirements. Every passenger is additionally covered by personal accident insurance.

What does a flight look like?

Beforehand, we take the time to talk through what you are wishing for. On the day of the flight you get to know the aircraft, and then we take off. Everything at your pace.

What kind of aircraft is it?

A Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter, built in 1986 — a single-engine Swiss aircraft and a legend of aviation. The PC-6 was produced from 1959 to 2022. A sister aircraft holds the world record for the highest landing ever made by a fixed-wing plane: 5,700 metres, in the Himalayas. The PC-6 has always flown humanitarian missions too, for the Red Cross and the United Nations.

The closing credits

Behind Flying Angel stands the Flying Angel Foundation, based in Rapperswil-Jona. Founded by Sven Düring, who brought the Porter to Switzerland. The foundation fulfils heartfelt wishes and flies humanitarian missions. It pursues no profit — every resource serves the foundation’s purpose.

Support Flying Angel More about the foundation