Page 6 - Volume 11 Number 9

Both King Airs had their panels upgraded with a Garmin GTN750, GTN650 GPS, communications, GWPS and weather radar suite before entering service.
are available 24/7.” Once a fitness to fly assessment has been made on the patient and the transfer authorized, London can be reached in one hour, 20 minutes, Birmingham in an hour and Newcastle in 45 minutes.
Bespoke slides allow the safe and comfortable transfer of the patient onto the stretcher to and from an ambulance. Four seats are available to carry accompanying medical personnel (and the patient’s relatives if room allows), who may range from nurse to anesthesiologist depending on the medically assessed needs of an individual case. All the specialist staff receive Flight Medical Crew training, which is completed annually. The aircrew also attends the course and takes part in training exercises as simulated patients being transferred from ambulance to aircraft on stretchers to make them fully appreciative of the task. Road access to the new Woodgate Aviation FBO and hangar, which was opened in 2016, is separate from the main airport complex and therefore can be accomplished without any delay. In cases of clinical need, post surgery patients will also be returned to Northern Ireland by Woodgate Aviation.
G-NIAA was joined by a second King Air, G-NIAB, in 2016. It became fully operational at the start of 2017. The intention is to upgrade the avionics of this aircraft to the same standard as Woodgate’s other King Air as soon as possible. It is fitted with a larger cargo door, which aids with the entry of the stretcher.
Shaw adds, “Last year alone, Woodgate Aviation had its busiest year, transporting 431 patients out of Northern Ireland for specialized treatment not available in local hospitals. Since it commenced operating the air
4 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2017