Issue 170 | May 2026

AirMed&Rescue May 170 Cover

Training for special missions is on another level, so it’s a great pleasure to bring you the training edition of AirMed&Rescue for May. We have features on night flights for police aviators; the simulators for military special missions training; the systems and scenarios for hoist operations; and engineering training for airframe and powerplant mechanics.

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In this issue

Helicopter flying with person hoisted out

A new chapter for hoist mission training

With missions becoming more complex and technology more advanced and accessible, operators, training organizations, and simulation specialists share with Lauren Haigh how simulation is reshaping hoist training

Helicopter simulation header

Military investment in simulation

Amy Gallagher and Jon Adams report on the simulation training options available to military operators, with solutions that can improve training methods from the cockpit to the tail

Amy Gallagher & Jon Adams

Helicopter parked in garage

Mechanical training and certification

Training the next generation of helicopter mechanics to be mission-ready takes a village, reports Jennifer Ferrero

Jennifer Ferrero

Helicopter with beam coming out

Amplified hazards: night flying with the police

For police fliers, night operations amplify complexity across three dimensions: human factors, environmental constraints, and systems and regulatory framework. How do police aviation units worldwide equip and train their officers...

Helicopter parked

Gallery: Exercise Pinion Titan sees British and French helicopters training together

RAF photographers AS1 Jason Russell, AS1 Joseph Head, and Cpl Tomas Barnard captured scenes from a major exercise that saw troops, ground vehicles, and aircraft from three nations work together

AS1 Jason Russell & AS1 Joseph Head & Cpl Tomas Barnard

Lee McMurray header graphic

Interview: Finding the best solutions for crews, patients, and community

Lee McMurray, Program Manager at Stanford Medicine Life Flight, discusses with Mandy Langfield the value of being part of a world-renowned healthcare system, a recent milestone in his leadership journey...

Mandy Langfield

Gareth Evans doing lecture for 247 aviation

Industry voice: Training for fixed-wing air ambulance missions – why it takes a unique set of skills

Clinicians transitioning to retrieval and transfer medicine from hospital-based care must be prepared for the unique challenges posed by the subspecialty. Gareth Evans, Aeromedical Services Director at 247 Aviation, expounds...

Green helicopter parked

Event review: Advancing safety, skills, and business at Verticon

Verticon returned to Atlanta in 2026, located in the Georgia World Congress Center, and hosted 684 exhibitors, with 64 aircraft on display. Jon Adams caught up with the news and...