When you ask Bristow Academy student pilots about their career goals a very large percentage indicate that their idea of the perfect helicopter pilot job would be flying for a hospital on an EMS contract. EMS pilots are certainly some of the heroes of the helicopter industry. They save lives on a daily basis, sometimes doing so at significant risk to their own safety. It is a glamorous job, but one that has some negative aspects too. EMS pilots are generally very experienced and it might be considered as a top of the career ladder activity rather than something a new pilot would be able to do.
Just about every major metropolitan area in the United States, and many rural areas, are served by a commercial for profit emergency medical helicopter service. In the US this is referred to as the EMS industry. In Europe it is generally referred to as HEMS. Some EMS programs are based at a hospital helipad and others operate from a local airport. Typically they provide an on-call service 24 hours a day. When requested they respond to accident scenes or other medical emergencies where time is critical and the patient must be brought to a trauma center as quickly as possible. The flight crew, which usually consists of a pilot and one or two flight nurses, usually have just minutes to get airborne. They must be able to get to the scene as quickly as possible, coordinate with ground personnel, evaluate the landing site, and make a safe landing. Even in daytime this can be challenging and hazardous. Landing sites are often very small and surrounded by tall or difficult to see obstacles such as powerlines, antennas, trees, and buildings. It takes considerable experience to accomplish this both safely and quickly. At nighttime the challenge is greatly magnified.
It takes great skill to be an EMS pilot, but it takes just as much judgement and courage to decline a flight or to decide not to land at the scene of an accident. For an EMS pilot this is an extremely difficult decision because he or she knows that the consequences could be very serious for the injured person on the ground. However, pilots are also responsible for the safety of their aircraft and its crew, as well as the safety of the ground personnel over whom they are flying.
Most EMS helicopters in Europe are twin-engine. This is due to the fact that European regulations require 2 engines when operating over cities or other congested areas. One of the largest HEMS operators in Europe is the German Automobile Club (ADAC). This organization flies EMS missions all over Germany using BK117, Ec135, and Ec145 helicopters. Part of each German motorist’s membership fee in the Automobile Club goes to pay for this elaborate and nationwide HEMS service. Bristow Academy graduate Stephan Knoedler flies for the ADAC and is featured on the school’s Alumni page.
In the US single-engine helicopters are commonly used for EMS work, but most of the more sophisticated programs operate twins such as the Eurocopter Ec135, Bell 430, or Sikorsky S76. These aircraft usually have state of the art avionics and many now operate using night vision goggles or enhanced vision devices at night. For a pilot EMS flying is both challenging and rewarding. You fly the best equipment, you perform a vital mission, and you work in a very professional environment. Perhaps the biggest downside is that most EMS pilots fly very few hours. Many flights are less than 15-20 minutes in duration and on some shifts the helicopter never leaves the hospital. EMS pilots have to be able to tolerate long periods of inactivity interrupted by frantic moments of highly challenging flying and decision making. For most EMS pilots this is the ultimate flying job, but for a small percentage the low flight activity becomes too boring and they return to other sectors of the industry.
Some of the big names in the US EMS industry include:
- AirMethods
- CJ Systems
- PHi
- Metro Aviation
- Omni Flight
- Calstar
- REACH
Some of these companies have several hundred pilots stationed at bases all over the country. Most EMS pilots will have at least 2,500 flight hours including more than 1,000 turbine hours and an Instrument rating. In addition to piloting skills EMS pilots need to have the social skills to function efficiently as a member of a multi-discipline team. The pilots will be working with doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators as well as paramedics and police officers. They may spend as much as 24 hours together on one shift and need to maintain a harmonious and professional work environment during the hours on standby as well as during the high pressure of a callout.
Salaries in the US EMS industry vary from program to program. At the time of writing (2006) most EMS pilots are earning between $50,000 and $75,000 per year. There are a wide range of work practices in use, but almost all provide the added bonus of generous time off. It is this predictable schedule, and the additional days off, that appeals to many EMS pilots. Although they may have to spend some nights at the hospital they are rarely far away from home and they get to see their family on a daily basis. For some pilots who have spent a few years taking advantage of the adventurous opportunities that the helicopter industry can provide an EMS job offers the stability they would like in their lives when they are ready to settle down and raise a family.
