Tue, Dec 13, 2011
Outlines Medical Aviation’s Safety Practices
In a recently released NTSB probable cause report, the board
concluded that pilot error and possible fatigue were responsible
for a July 2010 West Texas incident involving a Cessna 412
operating as an air ambulance to go down just minutes after
takeoff, killing all five people on board. Just days after the
findings were announced, a forced landing of another medical
transport company’s twin-engine plane claimed three more
lives.
Although neither incident was related to Angel MedFlight,
company CEO Jeremy Freer stresses that safety differences do exist
and individuals seeking medical flights should know how to identify
good – and bad – practices. “We extend our
deepest sympathies to the families of the people who died,”
says Freer. “Avoidable incidents that result in loss of life
just shouldn’t happen. Many people may not be aware of the
enormous quality and safety discrepancies that can exist among air
medical transport operators. We want to give people the tools to
make informed decisions.”
Fixed-wing medical flights are predominantly
facility-to-facility transfers for patients who are too ill or
injured to fly commercially. Patients are flown on
medically-equipped aircraft and cared for by medical personnel, but
that’s where similarities among some operators end.
“Air medical transport isn’t like the airlines, where
you can feel pretty confident that carriers are operating near the
same levels of safety and excellence,” says Freer.
“Sadly, there are some operators or brokers who cut corners.
Individuals looking into medical flights should research the
companies they’re calling and ask questions regarding
operations, safety, aircraft, equipment and crew.”
Because of the highly-specialized nature of medical
transportation, medical flights can cost thousands of dollars,
leading many patients and families to base decisions on cost.
“Unfortunately, a lot of times it comes down to the dollar
amount and cheapest doesn’t always mean safest,” says
Freer. “We are not the cheapest in the industry and frankly,
I’m proud of that. We invest in top-of-the-line aircraft,
medical equipment and personnel and we truly feel that we have the
best program out there.”
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