EMS pilots - Tell me more please.

[JDHelicopterPilot]

My wife does worry sometimes too. It's the nature of the job. EMS can be pretty risky sometimes. A lot of that can be related to decision making. That is another story.

 

Once, I was flying back from the Grand Canyon into Las Vegas. A severe thunderstorm was rolling through Las Vegas and of course my wife was freaking out thinking I was out there flying in the storm. Yeah, I was flying but I went WAY around it. She called my cell 5 times and left messages which of course I didn't get until I got on the ground.

 

Needless to say I had to explain to her a little of what we do as pilots when something like that comes up. That way she won't worry. It was a lot more than a rain shower though, quite a storm.

 

On the other hand, she tells me a lot more how proud she is of me and my daughter says the same thing. My wife has been with me through 95% of my training to present day. So she's been able to see my progress.

[e36_m3_turbo]

My wife does worry sometimes too. It's the nature of the job. EMS can be pretty risky sometimes. A lot of that can be related to decision making. That is another story.

 

Once, I was flying back from the Grand Canyon into Las Vegas. A severe thunderstorm was rolling through Las Vegas and of course my wife was freaking out thinking I was out there flying in the storm. Yeah, I was flying but I went WAY around it. She called my cell 5 times and left messages which of course I didn't get until I got on the ground.

 

Needless to say I had to explain to her a little of what we do as pilots when something like that comes up. That way she won't worry. It was a lot more than a rain shower though, quite a storm.

 

On the other hand, she tells me a lot more how proud she is of me and my daughter says the same thing. My wife has been with me through 95% of my training to present day. So she's been able to see my progress.

She thinks flying is too dangerous. Did you have convience her about your dream or desire to fly? If so what did you do? I have always been fasciated with helicopters since I was little but lately I have been wanting to take lessons since Im getting a steady career going. I have talked to her about it and she thinks its dangerous and would be worried all the time. sorry to be offtopic but i want to get into ems because its a steady job. Therewill always be a need for this type of work.

[IFLY]

I got around that problem the easy way...I married a pilot and my daughter is a pilot, solo since 14

 

Jerry

[Wally]

Be completely honest about the risk, and assure your loved ones that it's not as dangerous as the media implications paint it. Then, work hard and constantly to make the decision to trust you a good call.

[RkyMtnHI]

"BIC" as in Bic pen.....Pencil-whipped time......Falsified time. I always say "B-I-C" time because it sounds like "P-I-C" time. Get it? haha

 

 

"parker pen time"

 

 

this is a great topic and contributions you guys!! thanks, i too have wondered about the EMS life..

 

 

dp

[heli.pilot]

Correct. I always tell her that its way safer to fly than drive to work everyday. You have more idiots on the streets than in the air. But shes always like I will always be worried if that was my career. So i dont know what to do. anyone else have thi dilemma?

 

My wife wasn't too sure about me flying either, in fact she still doesn't love the idea. My wife tolerates it because she knows that I love it. Don't push her too hard, find a good flight school and let her go there with you and ask whatever questions she has in order that she may put her mind at ease. Maybe go and chat to the friendly people at your nearest EMS base and see if you can sit down and ask some questions of one of their pilots face to face. Again, take your wife and let her ask questions also.

 

So much of the actual risk that you are exposed to, as a pilot, is based on your decision making. Yes, there is some level of risk involved with any type of aviation. However, I believe that you can either keep that level of risk very minimal, or you can multiply ten fold, based on your decision making. Some pilots expose themselves to much greater risk than need be, simply by making poor decisions. All that is to say that you need to make sure that your wife understands that, while you cannot eliminate all the dangers of aviation, you can minimize your exposure to them by exercising good ADM (aeronautical decision making). She need to understand that you control a good portion of the risk, and that you can (and will) exercise good judgment.

 

Wally made a valid comment above, that the media often paints a pretty bleak picture about the safety of helicopters. Writing articles about the thousands of incident free EMS flights doesn't sell papers like the articles about the few that crash.

 

As a side note, be thankful that she cares enough to worry about you.

 

Best of luck!

[thrilsekr]

How about preflight?

Do you preflight at the start of the shift, and assume nothing will change by the time you have a call?

Do you have an abbreviated checklist that you follow before the flight, or do you do a full run down?

 

 

Thanks

[Gomer Pylot]

I do a preflight at the start of the shift, and a walkaround before each flight. I do a good postflight each time, and nothing should break while just sitting on the pad. There is a difference in the checklist for the first flight of the day and subsequent flights, at least for most models.

[JDHelicopterPilot]

For us,

 

The day shift pilot will do a preflight.

 

The night shift pilot will also do a preflight.

 

The above in addition to: Weather, TFRs, Notams, Weight and Balance and so on.

 

Every pilot should(and for is for us required) do a walk around prior to each start. This is a good thing to get yourself in the habbit of doing if you don't already.

Edited November 19, 2008 by JDHelicopterPilot

[Wally]

Gomer and JD pretty much nailed the preflight thing- I preflight whatever I'm going to fly when I'm assigned it, no matter when that occurs- beginning of day/night, hitch or whenever, especially believe in post-flight checks.

 

Additional, if anybody touches it, I check it. My mech tells me when he starts and stops inspecting/maintaining the bird, I check the work and the book. I keep an eagle eye on the aircraft on the ramp. If folks walk up to it, I do my PR bit while surreptitiously supervising.

 

Every launch requires a hatches, latches and filler cap inspection. Formal checklists (doubly redundant at my employer, sigh- opinion- If you're going to screw up/ignore one checklist, you probably can't/won't be more successful with 3- for cockpit procedures, and I've added a few mini-check lists based on experience. Fortunately the bird's simple, so a 10-30 item checklist is really only 3, 4 or a half dozen or so separate checks, ie. control freedom and friction looks like a long list, but it's really simple.

Edited November 19, 2008 by Wally

[thrilsekr]

Wally:

 

Do you get a lot of "folks walk[ing] up to it"? Seems like it would be a bit more secure than just curbing it out on the street...

 

Thanks

[thrilsekr]

Oh, and on another note...

 

What kind of personal luxuries are you afforded?

If you are married can your family come and visit? I guess it would depend on how far away your base is. But say you are in the middle of a 7 day stint. What would be the situation if you perhaps, made dinner and your wife and kids came by or even "just" a girlfriend. Either planned or unplanned. Sure there is the chance you would get a call to work, that goes without saying. But otherwise...

 

Do any of you have experience with this type of thing. Either as the visited or working with someone who had a visitor. Either long distance from home, or near...

Do your employers have regulations about this sort of thing, or is it a case by case basis...

 

How do you handle leaving the base? Are you stuck there? Have to wait until the end of your shift? I don't know... Your 360 controller ran out of juice and you need some new batteries. Bad example, but you feel my breeze?

 

And...

 

Also, what is the hierarchy of the staff? How many people are on staff at a time. What are their positions? Do they all stay at the base? Do people come and go, or are all the shifts pretty much the same? If people are coming and going, do you need to brief them. Or is that their responsibility - although I assume as PIC it is your responsibility to ensure everyone is up to date... Do you regularly fly with the same crew, or do you never know who you are going to be working with, and for how long?

 

 

 

Well, that should be enough for this time...

 

Thanks again for all the info. You folks have a wealth of knowledge, and I greatly appreciate you sharing it with myself, and the VR community.

[Gomer Pylot]

You get a fair amount of people walking up to it at PR events. That's what they're for.

 

We do get family members coming by now and then, and it's usually not a problem. One of the nurses has her personal chef come by and cook for us now and then. He usually brings their children along too. Some judgment is always called for in this, of course, and you wouldn't want to overdo it.

 

The med crews work a different schedule (usually 24 hour shifts) and you get a different crew every day. We do a briefing at the start of every shift, and they get 2, one from each pilot. When you're on, you're at the base or on a flight, nobody leaves for anything. I'm not sure that's the case for every program, but that's our policy. You don't leave until the end of your shift.

 

Most programs have a crew of pilot, nurse, and paramedic. There may be other management folks around, maybe not. Never mess with the flight nurse. You will regret it.

[heli.pilot]

Never mess with the flight nurse. You will regret it.

Uh-oh... What did you do?

[delorean]

Day pilot does a preflight, night pilot does a preflight. If the helicopter didn't fly since the last time you preflighted it, just an abbreviated preflight will do. At minimum, a walkaround is required before every engine start. Usually the day pilot is responsible for washing the a/c, doing the fuel pit checks, any paperwork/GPS/map updates, base chores, etc.

 

We're not suppose to leave the base, but we're less than 2 minutes from the grocery store, restaurants, the ambulance & fire house, post office, whatever--so we'll sneak out sometimes. Or radios work anywhere in town and we just forward the base phones to our crew cell phones. If the WX is too bad to fly, we'll run errands and go around town. No one seems to care--it's never been a problem. If anyone ever screws it up, then it will most likely end.

 

With us it's a pilot, nurse, and paramedic. Our mechanic we'll be there a few hours every day unless he gets pulled somewhere else. If your opposite pilot is from out of town, they'll most likely be hanging around too. Some places have a "base manager/director" who hangs around during the week days too. They handle base supplies, repairs, scheduling, PRs, payroll, HR stuff, and is a liason to the hospital if you're tied to one. They're not in charge of pilot, nor mechanics, but can make your job a living hell if they want.

 

Meds crews usually work 24hr shifts.......sometimes 48hr shifts. For us, they switch out at 0800, while pilots switch at 0700 & 1900. Some bases they switch at the same time. Just depends on everyone's personal schedules (kids' school times, 2nd job, night school....) Sometimes the med crews have partners they always fly with, others switch it up every day. But a base usually only consists of no more than 15 people, so it's never anyone totally out of the blue (4 pilots, 3 FT nurses, 3 FT Medics, 1 Mechanic, a few part timers.) If you have someone from another base or on orientation, they're usually only paired with two people who have worked there a long time.

 

As far as family & friends, as long as your co-workers are cool with it, no problem. Everyone working on the holidays usually has their family out for Xmas morning gifts openings, New Years fireworks, Thanksgiving turkey, here at the base. My wife has spent many nights at the base as well as others' spouses and kids. We did have a problem with one nurse's brat children, plus another's mean rottwielers--we put an end to both of those. No animals at the base; too many have allergies or find them annoying. Just about every bases has had a stray cat or two that they feed regularly and that sneaks in the hangar, pass that off to management as "rodent erradiacation" if they every say anything.

 

"The base" is your, and your dozen other crew [family]members' HOME. If you can't make it more of a home than an office, you'll get burned out. Make it as much of a home as you can, but remember, the other dozen people have to live there too a few times a week and are trying to do the same.

 

It's a pretty good life (job) if you can find the right people to work together. It only takes one or two to tear it all apart though. We've had several trouble makers over the last few years. They last about 6 months and get voted off the island. At our base, we're lucky enough to have management that would rather move or can one a-hole, than have the rest of us move or quit. One base I know of has had a 90% turnover for years except for (and because of!) one nurse. Only one person at our base has been there less than 4 yrs, and over half have been there 6-7+. When you've been there that long, you've learned to put up with everyone else's BS.

[e36_m3_turbo]

Very helpful topic here. Thanks to everyone that has contribed to all my questions.

[Gomer Pylot]

I didn't do anything, but I've seen the results of those who have.

 

A base is a lot like a large family living in one home, except that they don't have to accept you. Everyone has to make an effort to get along, or it's not a happy base. Every base has its own personality, based on the combined personalities of everyone who works there. Some are happy and some are hell, most somewhere in between. The personality changes as people change, and as alliances and cliques change. People who can't get along don't usually last long. People who won't clean up the place, or who don't wash dishes well catch hell. If you're a slob, you're not welcome.

 

If there is a store or something very close, you may be able to visit, but our base is miles from anything, in a cow pasture, so we're pretty much stuck. If we go down for maintenance for a few hours, the med crew may be able to make a quick run, but we're pretty much stuck all the time. We're not exactly a huge metropolitan area, so the day pilot is SOL when it comes to most things, because almost everything is closed when he's off. A gas station/convenience store or two is about it. That may not be typical of every base, but it's ours. It's 30 miles to the closest WalMart, movie theater, or anything else. We have to bring pretty much everything with us when we come to work.

[Hedge36]

This is a fantastic thread. Kudos to the OP for asking questions that have occurred to most of us but we never thought to ask... and many thanks to those in the industry who've take the time to respond so fully.

[Marc D]

Marc, with the difficulties adjusting to the shifts, do you ever find yourself concerned about your ability to fly?

 

Thanks

 

 

I've had to decline some flights due to fatigue.

 

Marc D.

[thrilsekr]

Marc:

 

Then what happens? Does it go to another EMS? How does the boss feel about such situations? Or the rest of the crew for that matter.

I know it is better to not fly than to risk the lives on everyone involved, but what are the repercussions?

 

Thanks,

[Wally]

Marc:

 

Then what happens? Does it go to another EMS? How does the boss feel about such situations? Or the rest of the crew for that matter.

I know it is better to not fly than to risk the lives on everyone involved, but what are the repercussions?

 

Thanks,

 

As Marc hasn't answered, I'll answer from my experience- When I decline a flight, there are no repercussions. I can decline dispatch for whatever reason I feel justifies not going, that's why the company hired ME. If a substantial issue arises from my taking that position, I might be asked why I did so, but the actual decision is not questioned, the PIC has complete discretion. My experience is that the bigger challenge is keeping pilots within company guidelines- I'm here to fly, I WILL go if I can do so- period.

 

If a request is declined, it might be offered to a sister base, or it might go to another program, depending on the difference in ETE. That works both ways, the competition also refers requests to us under comparable terms. We're a service industry, and sometimes that means somebody else performs the service and makes the customer happy. Management works towards keeping that to a minimum.

 

I know that management tracks pilot performance, with an eye towards training, protocol and systems improvement. I've never heard anything directly, although occasionally something will slip out when we're talking about an issue. For instance, I'm slower than some pilots...

 

The medical side of the team is a widely varying question. Some are just as happy not to go, some want a complete brief why and how we're going- or not, and you have to deal with all respectfully and rationally. 'There are no stupid questions', so every one is a training opportunity. If sharing my view starts to be a discussion, I take it back to theory and end the session.

[Gomer Pylot]

My experience is pretty much the same. I've never seen any repercussions for turning down a flight. The minimums are the minimums, and if the weather isn't at least that good, we don't go. Flying below minimums will get you fired. We have a target takeoff time, but I don't worry about it. I take off when I'm ready, and I don't get in a hurry. Hurrying will hurt you. I don't waste time, but I don't hurry. Some med folks don't particularly want to fly, and will look for a way not to, and some want to fly every time, and never want to decline a flight. Most are in the middle, IME. I've never had one question me about turning down a flight, because they know I'll go if it's feasible. I've also never been questioned by management. The dispatchers may ask where the weather is if I decline, just so they can tell the caller, but they don't question my decision. The day that happens is the day I'm gone.

[justfly]

"BIC" as in Bic pen.....Pencil-whipped time......Falsified time. I always say "B-I-C" time because it sounds like "P-I-C" time. Get it? haha

"parker pen time"

RkyMtnHI beat me to it, but only by a couple of weeks! (I just got around to reading this post). "BIC" time has long been refered to as "P-51" time in aviation, capitalizing on the double entendre reference to the P-51 Mustang fighter plane and the famous Parker 51 model fountain pen that he alluded to.

 

In that regard, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_51:

...Additionally, a pilot who is suspected of falsifying flight records in his logbook in order to overstate his actual experience is said to have logged "P-51 hours," relying on the ambiguity of the term "P-51" to avoid directly confronting the suspect.

So if someone says, "you must have a lot of P-51 time", they may not be complimenting you on any fixed-wing skills!

 

Many thanks to the professionals who have taken time to contribute to this informative thread!

[Cruzin Chris]

They last about 6 months and get voted off the island

 

That's too funny!!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I'm getting in on this one late but here is my point of view....

 

I’ve been doing HEMS all of 9 months now. This is my first civilian job after 12 years flying in the Air Force. I’ve been noted to tell friends and family about this job is that sometimes I can’t believe they are paying me to do this - and other times I not being paid nearly enough. Luckily the later is very infrequently.

 

I am a “commuter” pilot, which means I live in FL and work in AL on the 7/7 shift. So I loose 1 or 2 days of my time off with a 6 hour drive at the beginning and end of each hitch. On my time off I do sweat equity on my home and work as a beach lifeguard during the season.

 

I enjoy the down time at work. I find plenty do… like posting on forums. My car has never been cleaner.

 

I’ve been around patients before this job, so that’s not a problem.

 

My longevity with HEMS is all dependent on if I can move to a base closer to home. I can hack this schedule for a few years, but I can’t see being a commuter pilot till my retirement 18 years away.

 

Here is some of those "I can't belive I'm getting paid moments" from a flight I had yesterday. An over-the-top transition for BHM and my take-off from a rooftop helipad at UAB...

 

 

[rotorblade]

WOW.

So much of good info here.

Somebody I know flies EMS in TX.Not sure what base.I was told that during the shift they cant ride bicycles or scooters or play ball due to higher risk of injury and not ability to fly.Also leaving the base for even a minute without being relieved by another pilot is a big no no and leads to immediate termination.I dont even think that their famillies can be there unless they are just droping off food and such.

Does it mean that you guys work for somewhat usual or very unusual companies? Have you ever heard of such rules with another EMS provider?

 

CHRIS-tell me that the white sheet to your left is not patients feet