Aircraft ambulances, or air ambulances, are used for medical reasons all around the world. Any type of operation performed by these aircraft is known as an aeromedical flight. These special ambulance aircraft are used to transport patients into or out of an area that regular ambulances cannot access or cannot reach quickly enough, and to transport patients over terrain that would be most reasonable for aircraft transportation. The most common types of ambulance aircraft that are in use today are military and civilian, but both organizations use different types of aircraft that can accommodate any need. There is a difference between medically stocked air ambulances and non-medical ones that are simply used for patient transportation. A medically stocked air ambulance is supplied to provide patient care while en route to a destination and will typically carry medication, ECG and CPR equipment. The non medical air ambulance is used for stabilized patients that simply need to be transported from one location to another and do not need medical care en route. These types of aircraft are known as “Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC)” and “Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC)”, respectively.

Who Uses Air Ambulance Aircraft?

Air ambulance services can sometimes be utilized by governments, either openly or by means of a negotiated contract with a privately owned aircraft charter company. These services may be used for the transfer of critical care patients, may provide help to ground-centered EMS on scenes, or can be used for both instances. These government officials will most likely not have anything to do with the actual running of the system, but instead let the aircraft physicians and pilots use their expertise to make sure everything runs smoothly. In almost all of the cases, however, the government will make guidelines for the operation and use of the aircraft to both hospitals and EMS systems in order to keep the operating costs to a minimum. They may also specify operating instructions to some degree in order to limit possible negative accountability.

Types of Air Ambulance Aircraft

There are two basic types of air ambulances in use toady and they are known as fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, more commonly known as air planes and helicopters. Jet aircraft are a type of fixed-wing aircraft,and they offer the fastest travel of all the types of aircraft. Next to helicopters, they are the most commonly used type of aircraft because they are able to travel long distances without refueling. They are also larger and they allow and more passengers and medical staff to be used in a single trip. Jets often are able to fly over turbulence and offer pressurized cabins, making them by far the most comfortable option in air ambulances. The most common of air ambulance jets are known as Lear jets. Turbo Prop aircraft are basically jets, but with twin turbine engines, and are next fastest when compared to the Jet Plane.

Twin props and single prop aircraft, are the most adaptable and cost effective types of air ambulance aircraft. They are lightweight and small, and do not require as many capitals to operate as other aircraft types. This type of aircraft tend to be slower and are perfect for shorter distance travel. Rotary-wing aircraft, or helicopters, are most often used locally for patient transporting. Helicopters are most commonly used by hospitals and trauma centers to transport patients over short distances.

Getting more specific on the types of aircraft, we would like to show you some of the exact aircraft that are outfitted to perform the functions of a flying ambulance.  Here are the most common types of aircraft used as air ambulances

• Learjets: These jet aircraft are some of the most popular types of aircraft to be retrofitted as air ambulances, because they are affordable to purchase and to maintain.  There are many different Learjets that are used for this purpose, so let us highlight some of the Lears that are used.
• Lear 31 – This is a small jet aircraft that can hold 10 people in the normal configuration, but when it is outfitted as an air ambulance, it can hold the patient, a nurse, and 1-2 extra passengers.  This is a very fast aircraft and is great for getting the patient to their destination as quickly as possible.
• Lear 35 – Very similar to the 31, the 35 is almost identical, minus a few changes.  This is an older model than the 31, but still very popular for use as an ambulance of the sky
• Lear 55 – This is a much bigger aircraft and is able to hold more people.  It is a more expensive aircraft, but it is economical when compared to other aircraft in its class.

Air Ambulance Pilots

The men and women who are in charge of piloting these aircraft, in any setting, are required to have immense training as these air ambulance flights are often more stimulating than regular non-emergency flight services. During the 1990′s there was a spike of air ambulance crashes in the United States. Because of this the U.S. government and the Commission on Air Medical Transportation Systems increased the amount of training pilots must have in order to pilot an air ambulance, just to make sure that all pilots, personnel, and aircraft meet much higher principles than were previously needed in order to try to prevent future crash occurrences. The resulting certification makes it a requirement for any air ambulance company to control and own its personal aircraft but this rule only applies to the United States. For some air ambulance companies it is not possible to have the proper medicalized aircraft for every job so instead they choose to charter aircraft based on the requirements needed for that specific mission.

Along with the pilots, the medical personnel that staff an air ambulance are trained beyond regular EMS staff requirements. Due to the higher risk operations of aircraft that are used to transport patients, the medical caregivers will most likely include Emergency Medical Technicians, flight nurses, paramedics, a Respiratory Therapist, and a doctor. For the aircraft that is used to provide support to ground based EMS, the staff will probably include a physician, surgeon, anesthesiologist, trauma specialist, and, in most cases, a specially trained care paramedic or nurse. In this case, the source of delivery of these medical professionals is the immediate care of patients on the ground, with the overall result that the patient will be transported by ground ambulance, not aircraft.

When it comes to air ambulance service, there will be a few things you’ll need to consider. The first thing you’ll need to consider is whether or not you really need the service. Air ambulance services will cost quite a bit more than a standard ground transportation service. But it’s important to know that, ground transport cannot always get you where you need to go, when you need to be there. So, here you will discover a little more about the air ambulance, and how you can use the service effectively regardless of whether there is a dire emergency, or if you simply need air transport from one medical location to another. As stated before, air transport can be quite expensive, so you will want to definitely tread lightly in this area.

Air Ambulance

An air ambulance is an emergency transport service that takes place in the air. In many cases, this comes in the form of a helicopter. However, there are other cases where a person will need to be transported from one location of the country to another. In this case they could possibly be transported on an emergency transport airplane rather than a helicopter. Now it’s important to note that these air ambulances are strictly used in cases of dire emergencies. This means that unless a person has this type of transportation they could possibly lose their lives. In other cases, and air ambulances used when there is a medical emergency in an area where there aren’t any available ground transport systems. So, by familiarizing yourself with these issues, you will be able to make a better decision when it comes to an air ambulance.

Air Ambulance Services

There are many different air ambulance services available. Many of these services are not run by the state, county, or city you live in. Some of these companies are privately owned, which means, when an emergency arises and they have been called into duty, you will be responsible for taking care of the financial obligation as a result. Now, there are arrangements that can be made ahead of time in order to curtail some of these financial responsibilities. If you plan well ahead, you will be able to secure the services of a private air ambulance service to handle any type of emergency or transport situation that arises.

Air Ambulance Company

You will discover that an air ambulance company is primarily concerned with offering emergency services to those that need it the most. This will include situations where a patient’s condition is critical, the hospital is far away, you or someone you know has been involved in a severe car crash, injuries have resulted in severe blood loss, heart conditions, strokes, organ transplants, or the time for travel is greater than 25 minutes. You will find that statistically, 20% of all emergencies will result in some type of air ambulance company providing service.

Learn First Before Hiring an Air Ambulance

So, when it comes to an air ambulance, you will want to learn as much as you possibly can to ensure you will be financially responsible just in case you require their services. Now, it’s important to note that most insurance companies will cover an air transport emergency; however, if you are out hiking in the mountains, and you get lost – you will be well served to be prepared just in case an air ambulance has to be dispatched to come and recover you.

A lot of people do not know what an air ambulance is and what they are used for.  We hope to clear this up a little in this article and by the end of it you will know exactly what one is and when to call on one.  You may be needing one in the future and it very well could save your life.  This is the idea behind an air ambulance, so lets get to the meat of this article and inform you on this life saving topic.

Types of Air Ambulances

There are a couple of different types of air ambulances that operate around the world.  The first kind is the one that most people are familiar with, and it is Star Flight.  This is the type of helicopter that is used to air flight people from bad car wrecks to the hospital.  These are life saving vehicles, because they are a mobile ambulance with all of the life saving equipment on board to help treat someone on the way to the hospital.  They also are able to get the patient to the hospital much quicker than a typical ambulance, and this saving in time can mean the difference between life and death.  In general, the main benefit of an air ambulance is the fact that it can shave precious minutes and sometimes even hours off of the typical transport time from the accident to the hospital.  The amount of care inside of the air ambulance is good, but nothing compares to the type of care that a patient can receive in a hospital full of the best doctors and also the most modern equipment.  The medevac helicopter is a great tool for getting people in bad accidents to the hospital, but like all helicopters, they are not good for long distance travel.  There sweet spot is generally only a couple of hundred miles and even shorter.  The amount of care that someone can receive on a medevac helicopter is limited due to the amount of space on the helicopter, however, it can be essential in stabilizing the patient before they get to the hospital.

The second type of air ambulance is the one that is able to get the patient far away from home and deliver them to their home hospital into the care of their main doctor.  This type of air ambulance is normally a small private jet that has been configured into a special setup to allow for a stretcher and a nurse to give care throughout the entire flight.  These are great for the patient, because they take the stress out of flying a normal airliner and also allow the patient to receive stabilizing care throughout the entire process.  This is a great option when someone is traveling over seas and gets into an accident where there is not very good care.  Many of these types of air ambulances have been used when natural disasters strike and there is not good enough care in the country and it is important to get the patient into more intensive care.  When disaster strikes, it is of paramount importance to get the patient in need to the best possible care.  Unfortunately, the care may be very far away, and this is when it is important to have an air ambulance ready and waiting for you.

Air Ambulance: Protect Yourself when Tragedy Strikes

Hopefully you will never need to use the services of an air ambulance company, but in case you do, you need to be prepared and have a travel insurance policy that covers you.  You can even have an air ambulance card that provides service in case of tragedy or the unexpected accident.  This type of protection is more important today, because the world is more global and more and more people travel outside of their home country.  Unfortunately, the healthcare that you have at home may not provide you with care when you are abroad.  Make sure that you check with your health care provider and see if you are covered on your next trip.  Most health insurance companies do not cover accidents that occur outside of your home country.  You can of course add on extra protection, which is highly advisable.  Just make sure that you have the protection of an air ambulance in case things go wrong.

How an Air Ambulance Can Literally Save Your Life

Picture the scenario, you are traveling in a remote destination that is just absolutely gorgeous.  The scenery is out of this world and you are on the trip of a lifetime.  Everything is so fresh and vibrant, and the terrain is rugged and wild.  Without any notice, you are attacked by a poisonous snake.  Luckily for you the locals are able to get you basic help and increase your odds of survival, but you need serious medical help, which is not available in the rural area that you are visiting.  You must get back to the capital, where there are better hospitals.  If you have an air ambulance card, then you are safe and protected and can call on a helicopter to come and get you ASAP and back to the hospital and eventually back home to your country where the medical attention is so much better.

Air Ambulance: Safety in Your Back Pocket

Interior of an Air Ambulance

Now imagine the same trip, with the same unexpected snake bite, without an air ambulance card.  The odds of your survival go down significantly and you have to rely on some of the local medicine men to save you.  You may get lucky, but I would not want to rely on snake medicine personally.  So if you have the chance to prevent this scenario from happening before you even start out on your trip, wouldn’t you want to do all you can to make sure you have the protection that you need?  An air ambulance is just the ticket you need in your back pocket in case calamity strikes, and in the 3rd world, it can strike at any time.  So never leave home without your air ambulance, which can save your life and save you a fortune in the process.  The cost of an air ambulance flight can be tens of thousands of dollars if you pay out of pocket, especially if you are traveling far from home, but when you prepay for an air ambulance card, you have taken risk out of the entire equation of your trip.  Who wouldn’t want to travel with the knowing that you are protected if the worst were to happen.  If your world turns upside down, make sure that you have the ability to get right side up and out of harm’s way.  The best way to do this that we know of is with an air ambulance card.  It is not expensive to travel with peace of mind, but it does take some planning ahead, which is difficult when you are in the process of planning ahead for everything else that comes with a trip.  Do not overlook an air ambulance, because it just may be the lifesaver that can get you home quickly and safely.  An air ambulance is a private jet that is outfitted in a medical configuration.  The pilots are first class and you even have your own nurses on board to make sure that you are in the best care possible.  Flying can be stressful enough on the airlines, but in a custom configured air ambulance you will have the best possible health care, and not have to deal with the stress and hassle of an airport.  The less stress the better for your health and you will get the smoothest and safest ride home in an ambulance in the sky.

What Is An Air Ambulance?

Unfortunately, there may come a time in your life, or the life of someone important to you, where you may have a need for an air ambulance because a regular ambulance will not be quick enough to get you to the hospital that will be able to help you the most. One of the main reasons why an regular ambulance just won’t work in this case is that you may be at a distance that is just way too far to get you to the hospital in time due to the nature of your injuries or condition.

Air Ambulance interior

Another reason why you might need an air ambulance to come and take you to the hospital is that you may be in a remote location where it’s impossible for a traditional vehicle to enter the area. Having an air ambulance company bring in a helicopter to get you out of the remote location and into a hospital may be the only thing that will give you a chance at saving your life or the life of somebody that you love. These two situations are the main reason that the air ambulance was originally invented, and they were definitely created with the very best of intentions in mind and for very good reasons.

When you find yourself on an air ambulance such as this you can expect to see all of the most top-of-the-line in portable medical equipment. Initially this type of ambulance was originally owned and operated by the military. But that has all changed now and there are plenty of civilians and regular people operating air ambulances in our current time. There are now a lot of different service providers offering this much-needed service, and this industry has grown quite a bit over the years.

Air Ambulance Services

Do you know exactly what services you can expect to happen when you take an air ambulance? Well I guess that honestly depends on the provider you happen to be in the care of. Some of these air ambulance services will only provide you with transportation to the hospital or location that you are intending to visit. When this is the case you’ll have a doctor on board along with you during the transportation process so here she can take care of you quickly in case any emergencies unfortunately arise.

The air ambulance field has grown over the years, and you can expect to be met with the utmost courtesy and professionalism if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need them to help you.

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