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Reply To Topic Topic: Helicopter EMS Issues
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Posted By on 15 Mar 2009 08:44 AM
Work on HEMS issues by PHPA is excellent, thank you.

I would put much more priority to pilot IIMC training as when the goggles fail to keep the aircraft VMC, when TAWS indicates an obstruction or terrain problem, when weather boxes an aircraft in, etc. the pilot is likely to be required to either maneuver in an area of reduced visibility or with none of the same, requiring solid instrument flying skills.

To my way of thinking all the goggles and TAWS, etc. in the world cannot make up for a pilot being confident in his/her capability to enter IMC and sort things out properly. Confidence is the pivotal issue here and it comes from training and experience with handling such situations. If @60% of recent accidents involve CFIT or spatial disorientation I think this argument bears more attention.

Also, the mandates of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as nomex and high top leather boots and helmets etc., is fine, excepting in hot weather. The military address this issue as they know heat stress impairs judgement. As yet this appears not to be of concern to the HEMS community albeit we fly around in barely air conditioned helicopters that behave like greenhouses with respect to the insolation of heat. Every HEMS pilot and crewmember I have spoken with is at odds with this equipment in hot weather but indicate they feel it is a holy grail sort of subject that is just not going to change. Well, we are missing a critical human factors issue here if the military address this for their very fit personnel and the HEMS community, manned by personnel who are possibly amongst the least fit of our population, does not. We should be able to modify this PPE in hot weather to maintain comfort and excellent crew performance. For HEMS operators, PHPA, and other entities not to address this issue is surprising to many.
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RE: Helicopter EMS Issues
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