Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for AirMed&Rescue. First off, as an introduction, could you explain your current role in the aviation industry – who do you work for, and what are your key responsibilities?

As a Subject Matter Expert for Vellox Group’s operations platform (formerly Complete Flight), I deliver tailored software demonstrations and provide technical support to our customers. I also quality assurance (QA) test software changes and collaborate with both sales and marketing to promote the software.

And now looking back a bit, how did you get your start in the sector?

I utilized a variety of software platforms over the years and, as a supervisor in several of my roles, I trained customers and co-workers on how to utilize our software. I found great joy in sharing my knowledge with others. I consistently found myself thinking of ways to make our workflows more efficient, finding ways to improve the software to better the operations, ways to leverage additional features to maximize benefits, and identifying bugs or pain points. I worked closely with my management to pitch these ideas to the software platform development teams. When senior leadership at Vellox Group reached out to me for this opportunity, I was excited to challenge myself in a new sector of aviation where I can continue to contribute to the industry while pursuing my goals of becoming a professional pilot.

How have your previous roles and experiences contributed to your current role?

I spent a total of six years within the helicopter air ambulance (HAA) industry working for both Metro Aviation and later Apollo MedFlight as an Operations Control Specialist. Additionally, I spent nearly four years with ACI Jet as a Dispatcher and Customer Service Representative.

These positions allowed me to gain valuable end user experience utilizing different software platforms in a variety of aviation operations from HAA, charter, international owner flights, and front-desk fixed-base operator (FBO) ops.

When you worked for Apollo MedFlight, you had to work closely with hospital customer communication centers. What do you think the main pain points continue to be in the world of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) dispatch and coordination of air medical flights?

From my perspective, having siloed systems was one of the largest pain points. Without integrations, dispatchers are having to manually enter information across multiple systems, resulting in significant delays in flight coordination and/or data loss. Another major pain point I noticed was the delay for receiving hospitals. Oftentimes a lack of hospital space, lack of patient information, or just the delay in information regarding the receiving hospital was a pain point for dispatchers. Multiple calls, waiting on information, and a flight crew waiting for details created a frustrating environment for everyone involved.

Without integrations, dispatchers are having to manually enter information across multiple systems, resulting in significant delays in flight coordination and/or data loss

How do you think new technology is changing operational safety in aviation?

New technology can maximize efficiency, reduce redundant entries, assist in maintaining compliance, and promote safer operations. Operators, pilots, administrators, maintenance personnel, and others are able to have situational awareness of their operations all in one place. Gone are the days of utilizing spreadsheets that only one or two people in the company have access to. New technology can be proactive with trends, identifying potential risks before they become an accident or incident.

Gone are the days of utilizing spreadsheets that only one or two people in the company have access to

Within Vellox, among your many responsibilities, you engineer and deploy specialized software solutions, directly enhancing aviation operational capabilities. Could you expand on this a bit, and give some examples?

Our software is highly customizable by the end user and we listen to our customers’ feedback and understand there is always room for improvement. Through a formal process, I take customer feedback, ideas, and pain points and work closely with our Head of Product and highly skilled development team to design and plan solutions. For example, potential customers and current customers had discussed possibilities of leveraging our current schedule module to schedule aircraft instead of personnel. With my background in Part 91/135 dispatch, I am able to provide valuable insights on how to engineer the end-user experience. This would open up our software to have the capabilities to cater to current customers and potential charter customers who need a Gantt chart-style view of their aircraft schedule.

How has the digitization of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) made the task of fleet management easier?

Digitized status sheets and maintenance forecasting can drastically improve fleet management and efficiency through quick access, simplified views, and instantaneous updates from either the pilot or the maintenance technicians. With centralized records within the software system, it will also streamline reporting and compliance.

Where does your passion for aviation stem from?

Since I could walk I’ve always loved to be at airports and around aircraft. I knew I wanted to become a pilot, and aviation became a core part of my life. As I grew older, I immersed myself into the aviation community, attending NASA’s Space Camp and Aviation Challenge programs, and joining the Civil Air Patrol. I furthered this commitment by earning my Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle [Aeronautical University] in 2018.

My professional journey in aviation started in 2017 as an Operations Control Specialist for Metro Aviation, where I found a newfound passion for HAA operations. In 2018, three days after graduating college I earned my private pilot’s license for airplanes, a milestone I couldn’t have achieved without a scholarship from the Ninety-Nines [International Organization of Women Pilots]. I took my first helicopter introductory flight in 2021 and I was hooked. I completed my helicopter private and instrument add-ons, then went all the way through certified flight instructor – instrument (CFI-I). I love the freedom and challenges that being a helicopter pilot provides, the tight-knit aviation community, and the wide variety of missions that helicopters conduct throughout the world.

I love the freedom and challenges that being a helicopter pilot provides, the tight-knit aviation community, and the wide variety of missions that helicopters conduct throughout the world

What are your plans for your future – where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself as an HAA pilot in 10 years. Currently, I plan on building hours one way or another. While I’m not financially able to be a full-time CFI at the moment due to financing a majority of my flight training myself, I have been keeping my eye open for part-time opportunities to build time and experience. I plan on being heavily involved in the helicopter industry and doing what I can do to build upon my skills as a professional pilot.