Posted By on 12 Apr 2009 06:59 AM
I agree 100%

To LEADPILOT's comment about inaccurate and sparse ASOS.

What we need to be safer:

1. NVG's
2. Autopilot,altitude hold at minumum and full approach capable preferable.
3. Management held accountable with MONEY taken from them when they mess up.
4. Let us REALLY have operational control. Now we do what we are told, when we are told, or we loose our jobs.
Most of us know whats safe and what is not.

Like DIRT DOC says, money maters. We cannot demand big changes all at once that are going to price us out of the market. The 206 drivers with the minumal skill crews will put us out of business. The big cabin class twins are nice for big, improved landing areas. But for us there are only 3 such sites in the whole state.

We cannot police ourselves under the current system. We have one hot dog pilot that has been with the program for many years and no one can get rid of him. We don't even try anymore.

The main thing, other than the 4 above, hire good people and let them do their jobs.

Common sense CANNOT BE LEGISLATED!!

I would be careful to not restrict pilot's choice to choose the quickest way to complete his duty day and get him homeward bound.  The most dangerous time for most is the sleepy commute home! Imagine having to wait for ground transport back to base then get in your car and drive home because you've had to do a change of shift at some intermediate location just because the clock strikes 14.  Sure you'll get 10 hours rest before you're expected to be back, but you'd really like to make it home safe in the first place. 

 

Please don't misunderstand me; I'm not advocating anything more taxing to pilot’s duty.  I want to guard my rest as well as any other veteran EMS pilot.  By all means, do whatever is quickest to complete COS as close as possible to 12 hours, even if it means punting to sister ship: and, never accept, if by applying prudent standards, the flight won't get you back to home plate within 14 hours.  And, remembering that regardless of the clock, any time the pilot feels too fatigued to fly, he must not.  However, on the few occasions where a pilot may face the situation where the clock strikes 14 and he is not back at home base, usually the quickest way to complete duty is by flying himself home.  Completing the flying portion of one's duty day with an enroute COS and ground or air return to base is never the quickest way.   Further, the odds are that this late flight is also the only one of the day and in this case fatigue should not be a factor.

 

Another aspect of this scenario that is perhaps more significant than flying past a 14 hour duty day is that a COS on-the-road or on-the-run in itself is not the safest situation.  We are asking the relief pilot to alter too many routine aspects of this key component of his duty.  What support will this remote location provide for preflight operations:  a ladder for preflight, fuel samples, update weather, pubs, maintenance status, 411 inputs?  More stress producing or distracting aspects: do I have all that I'll need before I begin my trip to relief location, whose ground vehicle(s) are to be used, should the medical crew be considered, reimbursement, insurance, directions, communications...on, and on...  There is nothing routine about this.  It is not smart and not safe.  Don't restrict and trap our pilots in this way.

 

I would be careful to not restrict pilot's choice to choose the quickest way to complete his duty day and get him homeward bound.  The most dangerous time for most is the sleepy commute home! Imagine having to wait for ground transport back to base then get in your car and drive home because you've had to do a change of shift at some intermediate location just because the clock strikes 14.  Sure you'll get 10 hours rest before you're expected to be back, but you'd really like to make it home safe in the first place. 

 

Please don't misunderstand me; I'm not advocating anything more taxing to pilot’s duty.  I want to guard my rest as well as any other veteran EMS pilot.  By all means, do whatever is quickest to complete COS as close as possible to 12 hours, even if it means punting to sister ship: and, never accept, if by applying prudent standards, the flight won't get you back to home plate within 14 hours.  And, remembering that regardless of the clock, any time the pilot feels too fatigued to fly, he must not.  However, on the few occasions where a pilot may face the situation where the clock strikes 14 and he is not back at home base, usually the quickest way to complete duty is by flying himself home.  Completing the flying portion of one's duty day with an enroute COS and ground or air return to base is never the quickest way.   Further, the odds are that this late flight is also the only one of the day and in this case fatigue should not be a factor.

 

Another aspect of this scenario that is perhaps more significant than flying past a 14 hour duty day is that a COS on-the-road or on-the-run in itself is not the safest situation.  We are asking the relief pilot to alter too many routine aspects of this key component of his duty.  What support will this remote location provide for preflight operations:  a ladder for preflight, fuel samples, update weather, pubs, maintenance status, 411 inputs?  More stress producing or distracting aspects: do I have all that I'll need before I begin my trip to relief location, whose ground vehicle(s) are to be used, should the medical crew be considered, reimbursement, insurance, directions, communications...on, and on...  There is nothing routine about this.  It is not smart and not safe.  Don't restrict and trap our pilots in this way.

All four pilots representing PHPA at the NTSB hearing were very experienced, high time, working line pilots.

You want to really get the good ideas to the FAA?  How about letting the line pilots that are out here doing the job day and night tell the government what we need?  I'm tired of "representing" organizations that are staffed by people that are not representative of those actually doing the job.  Most of those at the NTSB hearings were not regular line pilots.  Most held corporate-level jobs and only probably fly just enough to stay current.  We need those that are flying shifts and hitches to speak for us.

We do not need more legislation or regulations. I am afraid , that is the agenda of the congressional committee.We just need to get a few things clear to them,IMHO.
 Get the medical management out of the cockpit. I don't care what you call them: customers, regional management,program directors, et al. They are all good, well meaning folk and are probably well acquainted with HEMS.However, their background is from ER's and Ambulances and ICU's. We are not in the life saving business. We are in the business of air transportation. If we get that through to them then all issues such as lift off times, weather turn downs being questioned etc will go away.I look at the management of my rather large company and I see only ex-medics and nurses incharge of my life and decisions.Most aviation managers are subordinate to them. That is flat wrong. 
Finally, a word about human factors. We need to make this job attractive to pilots. When I joined, EMS was considered the pinnacle of the helicopter pilot's career . Not anymore. Low pay for excess risk, medical mangement interference,stupid and cumbersome regulations have taken a toll. Nobody wants to get in anymore (the experienced lot ,at least) and the ones that are in want to get out. Result: reduced hiring standards (my company went from 3500 TT to 2500 TT just in the last five years),lower experience in the cockpits and cost cutting all around.In fact, once the economy turns around, I will be leaving too.