Real-Time Position Reporting, Precise Billable-Mile Tracking,
Two-Way Digital Messaging and Continuous Mayday Alerts
Digital Angel Corporation says the
world's largest air ambulance operator, Englewood, CO-based Air
Methods Corporation, is expanding its use of the OuterLink Flight
Tracking and Messaging System. After approximately 18 months of
evaluating 50 OuterLink systems and the confirmation of their
administrative and safety benefits, Air Methods has decided to
equip the balance of its LifeNet Division fleet and its future
LifeNet aircraft with the OuterLink systems.
The OuterLink system's ability to provide position reporting every
30 seconds, three-second Mayday alerts, system reliability and
ability to verify and archive exact trip mileage were key factors
in Air Methods' decision to expand its deployment of the OuterLink
Satellite Tracking System, said David Dolstein, Senior Vice
President for Air Methods.
"Our decision was based on several factors, but paramount was
the ability of the system to interface with our existing CAD
(Computer Aided Dispatch) system," Dolstein said. "OuterLink was
more than willing to work with our software vendor to get this
accomplished. The ability to track our aircraft in real time and
maintain a history of patient mileage reports was also a key
component in the decision. We had excellent success and reliability
with our initial OuterLink tracking and communication systems.
Incorporating OuterLink across our entire LifeNet Division enhances
our ability to provide safe, efficient patient transportation."
The OuterLink system enables Air Methods' management oversight
in deployment and in activity of all aircraft equipped with
OuterLink from its national Communication Center in Omaha. In
addition to providing dispatchers with real-time flight tracking
data, OuterLink's satcom terminal also incorporates capability for
two-way digital messaging. In addition to communication redundancy,
digital messaging accommodates enhanced interface between the
aircraft and communications center for laptop computers and/or
patient monitoring devices. While the entire fleet is monitored by
LifeNet's National Communications Center, LifeNet managers and
sending or receiving medical centers also have the ability to
monitor the movement of a responding (OuterLink equipped)
aircraft.
The OuterLink system also includes low-profile antennas
installed on each aircraft and the CommTrack suite of PC software
tools enabling flight management to visually track and display
real-time and historical information about all aircraft under their
control. The software incorporates a comprehensive map database
that allows dispatchers to pan and zoom into whatever level of
topographic detail is relevant to their tracking needs. It also
provides the capability to display weather information on these
maps to provide up-to-the-minute advisories to flight-following
dispatchers.
"For us, another key component of CommTrack is the CommFigure
Trip Reporting software," Dolstein added. "By tracking and
computing miles flown from any time period, we have the ability to
provide accurate trip information to our customers and maximize
revenue based on actual mileage."
Kevin O'Brien, OuterLink's Vice President of Operations, said,
"Commonly, hospitals realize accurate mileage reports generate
increased earnings sufficient to recover the initial OuterLink
investment within one year, as well as future operating costs
thereafter."
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