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Part 135 Part 135 commercial operators

Air Ambulance

Old 08-16-2010, 07:31 AM
  #21  
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[QUOTE=fly4usd;780737]Howdy y'all

[*]I've had to load a 400lbs patient on a door because stretcher was bending too much and the hospital hadn't a strecher big enough. Well, we had to duct-tape this poor guy onto the door to load him;[*]some aircraft don't have a cargo door or a loading system for the sled (aka stretcher). So you need EVERY hands-on you can get at 3AM. Your cute flight paramedics ain't strong enough to get a 320lbs gozilla through the door and the mechanic locked away the key to the forklift.

I'm Sorry but I have to comment on a few of fly4usd's comments. We both have been in the industry for 10 years, but l am confused with the weight issue??? 400 lb patient? seriously? the stretcher was bending!! and you actually decided to go ahead and load him? Sounds like you want a lawsuit to me... we have SOP's here and 300 lbs is our limit. We have had to leave paitents at the hospital because the nursing staff told us they were 300 lbs when in fact they were over 400. Not gonna happen at my company.....





You will be on call. You have 45 min to 1 hour to get to the aircraft AND get all horses out of the barn (flight plan, clearance, pre-flight, chocks, ...). Remember:[LIST=1][*]you do this all by yourself![*]At night! (FBO (if any) is closed, Twr is clsd, ...)

Pretty Dramatic.... Its not that difficult getting ready in an hour. Maybe if the weather is really low, you may need some more time to look for alternates, but dont paint such a misleading picture....

Peer pressure is immense (have-to-go-syndrome) from ALL participants in this gig!

C'mon dude! Seriously? Looks like you need to find a better company to work for if they make you do that.

Well, I am sure most of you get the picture by now: It is not that glamorous as it looks on TV

If you are looking for a glamorous job then be a victoria Secret model...

Everyone in the AA industry (that I know) is in it for the mission not the glamor.

Sorry if I insulted you, but had to straighten things out.
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Old 08-23-2010, 10:29 PM
  #22  
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I flew air ambulance in the UK, as part of my regional job. The mob I worked for had the local public service air transport contract(s) for Shetland & Orkney islands (north of Scotland, in the North Sea/North Atlantic area) using BN2 Islanders. They also had the air ambulance contract across Scotland with the same BN2s.

Of course the rules are different in the UK but some aspects of AA are the same or similar. We ran a 3/3/3 roster in Shetland where I was based. Three days on day flights (inter-isle public transport + any air ambulance - AA had priority over the inter-isles), three nights standby (30 mins phone call to airborne) then three days off. UK's equiv. to 135/121 required a minimum of two nights off per week, starting 2200 & finishing 0600 hence three days off to capture the two nights.

Weather was typical N. Atlantic/N. Sea & of course varied with the season. Gale & storm force wind was common, along with snow & iced runways. No navaids in the outer isles & GPS wasn't allowed by the UK equiv. of the FAA. Jeez, I would have killed for a Garmin 430 & a GPS approach sometimes. 30 kt fog was also an issue if the Haar was present (a sea fog local to the North Sea). Other times the weather could only be described as made for flying. Smooth, vis unlimited, clear sky & even the northern lights to look at on the return flight north from Scotland.

Most of the time, doing or not doing a flight was an easy no-brainer (beautiful Wx or truly filthy Wx). Other times it was touch & go and that was an experience call. Occasionally the decision had to be to not go even though it was to the patient's detriment. 'Iffy' weather, or desperately ill with what should only be 'no-go' conditions but medical/family are pressuring is where you earn your pay. Like others have indicated, the pilot mustn't let safety decisions be swayed by the patient's condition. Having one person seriously ill/injured but not flown is rather different to having 3,4 or 5 people dead from a plane crash.

I got a great sense of satisfaction doing ambulance and would like to do it again now that I'm resident in the US. I've often wondered if the pay & conditions here are adequate to support a family & reasonable lifestyle.


As an aside, does the US have the legal option of declaring a 'mercy flight', like the UK & Australia? A mercy flight is one where a rule eg minimum equipment, duty times or whatever, may be deliberately ignored because life is at risk and doing the flight is the only way to preserve life?
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Old 11-29-2010, 02:54 PM
  #23  
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As an ex 135 air ambulance pilot, I can back up EVERYTHING posted! I was based on an indian reservation and 95% of our patients were well north of 200 lbs. We'd always have the ambulance driver help us load the patients into the 414 and that was still a struggle. I'd always fly within 50 lbs of max gross weight

We'd pick up at really small airports (3500 ft long) in the summer time and DAs were pushing 10,000 ft so I was just getting past 80 kts and looking down at the numbers as I rotated. Talk about pucker factor.

The aircraft were well maintained but old. the 414 hasn't been built in a few years so all of ours were 1980s models and had seen a number of flight hours.

I always filed but the option was ours to fly VFR if we chose. I found it easier to file and have priority handling from controllers during the hour of terror that your patient is fighting to stay alive.

I wrote an essay about one of my flights. PM me if anyone is interested in reading it. Pretty shocking story.

Good luck in your decision.. I'm headed back to the airline but miss my days of flying sick folks around.

-G
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Old 12-07-2010, 04:36 PM
  #24  
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Question: what would a contract rate PIC C90 for medevac (really only donor organ) flights be, in a pricey part of the country? I am familiar with day rates for part 91/135 for the same airplane but am thinking there might be a difference. For one, there's the critical flight issue (which may or may not be a factor) but also that most of these flights are midnight to 5 AM. This leaves the next day ruined for taking other contract flights with other operators
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Old 12-07-2010, 06:24 PM
  #25  
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http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/hi...-position.html
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Old 12-07-2010, 06:30 PM
  #26  
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Thanks for the link but I am asking for an idea of C90 PIC on-call contract rate, not salary, for doing (obviously priority) organ donation flights. Any ideas?
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Old 12-07-2010, 07:00 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by chazbird View Post
Thanks for the link but I am asking for an idea of C90 PIC on-call contract rate, not salary, for doing (obviously priority) organ donation flights. Any ideas?
I didn't see your post. It was something for the OP, and everyone else that might find it applicable. Unfortunately, I don't have any information about what you are looking for, but I'll be sure it pass it on if I come by any.
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Old 12-08-2010, 07:08 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by chazbird View Post
Thanks for the link but I am asking for an idea of C90 PIC on-call contract rate, not salary, for doing (obviously priority) organ donation flights. Any ideas?

I would imagine that this kind of work isn't contract. You would be crossing the line between a contractor and an employee because they are requiring you to be at the airport, and as a contractor, they are not allowed to do that. It would put the company in a precarious position should a disgruntled employee come back with an attorney.
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Old 12-08-2010, 08:07 AM
  #29  
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Contrary to conventional air ambulance staffing, it is on-call and contract rate. I am hoping to figure out a way to compare it with day-time part 91/135 contract rates for the same plane (also adjusted for cost of living location). Due to the nature of transplant surgery scheduling most of the flights are 2400-0600. One hopes for a premium for that but mostly because you'd be toast for any other income earning the following day.
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Old 10-11-2011, 09:08 PM
  #30  
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South Florida has quite a few Air Ambulance operators. Flying is challenging, and tiring (I've worked here for >5 years... and about 1/3 to 1/2 of my flying is middle of the night). The tough part is it's 24/7 on call. The better operators are actually give you scheduled days off known the month before... some of the less reputible operators consider days off as days you don't fly. From Fort Lauderdale, you get to see a lot of the Caribbean and Central America, and a little South America, with a lot of returns to the South Florida, Northeast and Eastern Canada (though you never know I've done drops in California, and Pickups in Anchorage... been South deep into Brazil, and well North and West into Canada). Requirements for hiring vary by operator... and even within the operator depending on needs. I've seen guys hired with as low as 500 hours, and and over 1200 for an FO. I've seen guys hired with almost no multi time, to lots. The best thing you can do to find a job - if you're local - is to stop in periodically and drop off a resume. It may not lead to a job right now, but we've hired a few people because they have come back over time. To name a few operators in South Florida: National Jets (they also do passenger charter and have maybe 6?? airplanes based at FLL), Air Ambulance Professionals (based at FXE, 2 planes), Aero Jet International (based at FXE, 3 planes), Trinity Air Ambulance (based at FXE).

Good luck! If you want more info, PM me.
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