Latest Headlines

San Diego to host 2023 ECHO conference

Every Coast Helicopter Operations (ECHO) has announced that its 2023 ECHO public safety aviation conference will be held in San Diego, California

Presagis unveils new Mission Training System

The system connects multiple simulator devices, allowing aerial firefighting training with multiple aircraft types and pilots to be conducted virtually

Regina Police praise new aerial support unit

Regina Police Service (RPS) has announced that its new Aerial Support Unit (ASU) has assisted on nearly 500 police files since launch

Black Hills Life Flight to open new base

The South Dakota-based Air Methods subsidiary will open the base south of Hot Springs to serve patients in the southeast of the state

Lucy AAC to rebrand as Lia’s Wings

The UK-based air ambulance charity announced the change at an event held at Bristol Airport on 29 March

Two US Army Black Hawk helicopters crash during training

The status of crew members is unknown and being investigated

LifeNet expands air medical services in Mohawk Valley

The new airbase will improve access to emergency services and response times

Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU) night vision imaging systems (NVIS)

ASU awarded FAA night vision training contract

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a contract to Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU) to provide night vision goggle (NVG) training

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April 2023 | Aerial firefighting edition

Government or contract? Aerial firefighting around the world

Robin Gauldie looks at the different approaches to short-term and respond-as-needed aerial firefighting contracts around the world

Drop it like it’s hot: buckets versus tanks

Buckets and tanks both have advantages when helicopter firefighting – but which has the edge? Barry Smith investigates

Data measurement in aerial firefighting

Can data collection and visualization save lives and property in firefighting? A story from the perspectives of those collecting and using the data

Read Issue

April Interviews

Interview: Ephraim Nowak, Co-Founder and Chief Engineer at Rain

When it Rains, it pours: Jon Adams spoke to Ephraim Nowak about innovative aerial firefighting solutions, utilizing UAS and AI for quicker and safer operations

Interview: Stu Sprung, Chief of Flight Operations, Aviation Management Unit, CAL FIRE

Fighting fire in California: Jon Adams spoke with Stu Sprung about the CAL FIRE approach to tackling fires with the world’s largest dedicated aerial firefighting fleet

AirMedandRescue speaks to Gretchen Carrougher

Interview: Gretchen J Carrougher, Research Nurse Supervisor for the University of Washington (UW) Medicine Regional Burn Center

A team effort: Mandy Langfield talks to Gretchen J Carrougher, Research Nurse Supervisor and Chair of BCEN CBRN ERCR, about her career in burn nursing

A quest for knowledge: air medical evacuation high-level containment transport

Jocelyn Herstein, Claire Figi and Shawn Gibbs call for a global discussion and consensus regarding air medical evacuation high-level containment transport

Achieving international standards certification for aerial firefighting craft

Dan Carnelly talks to Jon Adams about the proposal to ICAO to introduce a new standard for airworthiness certification

The right resources at the right time: approaches for different wildfires across the globe

Jeff Berry, an aerial firefighter with Conair, talked to AirMed&Rescue about adapting to different wildfire environments across the globe

Provider Profile: Aero-Flite Aerial Firefighting

Oliver Cuenca spoke to Chris Niemann, General Manager at Aero-Flite about his company’s firefighting operations and plans to expand its fleet

Event review: HAI HELI-EXPO 2023

The world’s largest helicopter trade show returns this year, AirMed&Rescue reports on some of the latest and most compelling advances and announcements

Pre-event review: Critical Care Transport Medicine Conference 2023

31st annual Critical Care Transport Medicine Conference to take place in Denver, Colorado

Airmedandrescue speaks to Peter Wheatley

Interview: Peter Wheatley

Excellence as Standard: Jon Adams spoke with Peter Wheatley, Vice President and General Manager, Helicopters, with StandardAero, about his influences, experiences and working principles

AirMedandRescue speaks to Samuel Summermatter

Interview: Samuel Summermatter

Air rescue at its peak: Jon Adams spoke to Samuel Summermatter, Flight Operation Manager and Pilot at Air Zermatt in Switzerland, about mountain rescue operations in the Swiss Alps

Industry voice: Learning the lessons of hybrid teaching

Covid-19 has changed the face of education in aeromedical transport, as Dr Terry Martin – a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, and Director of CCAT Aeromedical Training –…

Fighting fires in Greece with the S64E

AirMed&Rescue spoke to Gary Harman, Greece Country Manager for Erickson Inc., about why the S64 has made, and will continue to make, such a difference to the country’s aerial firefighting…

Provider Profile: Dauntless Air

Oliver Cuenca talks to Jesse Weaver, Dauntless Air Director of Operations and Chief Pilot, about fighting fires and maintaining high standards of safety

Lessons Learned: Aerial Firefighting and High-Rise Rescue since the 9/11 Attacks

Jennifer Ferrero explores how the urban aerial firefighting and search and rescue landscapes were irreversibly changed by the terror attack in New York in 2001

Presagis unveils new Mission Training System

The system connects multiple simulator devices, allowing aerial firefighting training with multiple aircraft types and pilots to be conducted virtually

Early wildfire in eastern Spain

A wildfire in Spain’s eastern Castellón region has burned over 1,000 hectares of land since it began on 23 March

Conair Aerial Fightfighting Mission Training System - RJ85

Conair expands pilot training capability

Aerial firefighting pilots will be trained in a simulated environment

Washington House approves aerial firefighting bill

Legislation designed to fund aerial firefighting provision in the US state of Washington has been approved by the state House

HEMS / SAR

San Diego to host 2023 ECHO conference

Every Coast Helicopter Operations (ECHO) has announced that its 2023 ECHO public safety aviation conference will be held in San Diego, California

Event review: HAI HELI-EXPO 2023

The world’s largest helicopter trade show returns this year, AirMed&Rescue reports on some of the latest and most compelling advances and announcements

Gallery: Attitude at altitude – Air Zermatt

HEMS in the Swiss Alps

Black Hills Life Flight to open new base

The South Dakota-based Air Methods subsidiary will open the base south of Hot Springs to serve patients in the southeast of the state

LifeNet expands air medical services in Mohawk Valley

The new airbase will improve access to emergency services and response times

Monroe County Trauma Star Sikorsky S76C+

Monroe County, Florida, to buy new helicopters

Florida’s Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has approved the purchase of three air ambulances for its Trauma Star program

Libyan Air Ambulance Service to buy three new Bell helicopters

They will be used for air ambulance services and medical transportation

Kagawa and Okayama to offer mutual HEMS support

Japan’s Kagawa and Okayama Prefectures have signed an agreement to support each other’s emergency helicopter operations

Avionics

Increasing safety through situational awareness enhancement tools

How do FlySight’s products enhance situational awareness of pilots and thereby increase safety margins for emergency services operations like HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Services) and SAR (Search and Rescue)?

Putting the pilot first

Avionics upgrades are key to safer, more effective rescue missions, so AirMed&Rescue spoke to industry experts about the remarkable advancements in helicopter technology and what could be in the pipeline

Future pathways for SAR equipment and communications

International companies share perspectives on techniques and technology for air ambulance search and rescue, writes Jennifer Ferrero

Regina Police praise new aerial support unit

Regina Police Service (RPS) has announced that its new Aerial Support Unit (ASU) has assisted on nearly 500 police files since launch

ASU awarded FAA night vision training contract

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded a contract to Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU) to provide night vision goggle (NVG) training

Hartzell Propeller develops five-blade prop option for Daher Kodiak 100s

The propeller is quieter, more aerodynamic and lighter

Baton Rouge police helicopter crashes

An R-44 helicopter operated by the Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) crashed near US Highway 190 on 26 March

Medics

A quest for knowledge: air medical evacuation high-level containment transport

Jocelyn Herstein, Claire Figi and Shawn Gibbs call for a global discussion and consensus regarding air medical evacuation high-level containment transport

Interview: Gretchen J Carrougher, Research Nurse Supervisor for the University of Washington (UW) Medicine Regional Burn Center

A team effort: Mandy Langfield talks to Gretchen J Carrougher, Research Nurse Supervisor and Chair of BCEN CBRN ERCR, about her career in burn nursing

Pre-event review: Critical Care Transport Medicine Conference 2023

31st annual Critical Care Transport Medicine Conference to take place in Denver, Colorado

When every second counts: transporting blood, organs and blood products

With the necessary equipment, training, standards and certification, helicopter air ambulances can carry blood and blood products for prehospital transfusions, while others transport organs for transplant. Operators and manufacturers share…

latest on medics

Pilots

South African-based Ultimate Aviation Group purchases Offshore Helicopter Services Ltd

CHC agrees to sell UK offshore operations

CHC Helicopter Group has agreed to the sale of Offshore Helicopter Services UK (OHS UK) to the South African-based Ultimate Aviation Group

The training solution of the future for helicopter hoist operations

Martin Keil, CTO and Director of Business Development for Reiser Simulation & Training, spoke to AirMed&Rescue about plans for 2023 and the launch of hoistAR, a holistic helicopter hoist training…

Western Australia Police Dauphin decommissioned

The end of an era recently came at Police Air Wing with the decommissioning of helicopter Polair 62

Keeping a clear head

As President of AT Phillips and co-inventor of the ATS Device, Tyson Phillips is perfectly placed to understand the seriousness of Spatial Disorientation

latest on pilots