Page 10 - Volume 14 Number 10

details were confirmed. Being that LifeSave’s hangar is at the far end of the airport, taxi to the hold-short line was quick, and we were cleared across moments
later. This “quick start; quick flight” mission profile is important, as it can dictate a patient’s ultimate outcome, which Marten communicates as “speed is life.” The company’s goal is always to be able to take off within 10 or 15 minutes of receiving a transport request.
Being that our flight was a dry-run-only mission and that no patient was on the receiving end, the crew didn’t have the nerves that I would expect them to have if a car crash or heart attack victim would be riding back with us. That being said, all aspects of the trip were handled as realistically as they could.
While the aircraft continued climbing to 8,000 feet, the medical crew ran through some scenarios and communication points in the back. At this point, they would have begun arranging all needed medical supplies, in anticipation of what would be needed for the patient.
Our trip averaged about a 230-knot cruise speed and before touchdown we crossed the field at pattern altitude, to verify that no wildlife or farm implements were making the runway home. The C90 showed one of the reasons it is a staple in medical transport flying, as Marten put the props in reverse after the tires kissed pavement. In only about 1,000 feet, we were slowed and jaunting to parking at the north end of runway 16/34.
Patient Pickup
To better understand the flight from a patient’s point
of view, I opted to ride back in the cabin with Megan Campbell, flight nurse, and Ismael Maravilla, paramedic. Their medical knowledge and experience are a natural complementtooneanother,whichallowsthemtohandle ›
The company’s pilots average about 400-500 hours
a year and possess a first responder mentality – the ability to focus on flying, even with a panic going on in the back of the aircraft. (Credit: LifeSave Transport)
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8 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2020