They have a extension which tapers which fits quite nicely between the door sides and avoids the rails.
The extensions are present on the SYY lift which is the self propelled van and Ben which is the trailer version operated by the fire men.
If you want a look at one there is one fitted to the ambulift trailer parked beside the fire station in Inverness.
To be honest HWY must shift 100's of NHS patent's between the Islands and all the pilots get to know the regulars pretty well. And certainly getting called love or your first name by the pax is the norm while boarding. And long may it continue for the guys who continue to fly the route. I must admit I had a bit of dust in my eye when the blind lady with leukaemia from BEN passed on.
Also you seem to forget the staff on the ground have lived on the islands for years and know virtually all the locals since they were children. Which does produce some amusing conversations when ID is requested "What do you want that for hen, I used to change your nappy"
As for tripping over the main spar unfortunately its an on going problem with the J31/32 series I think every operator of them has had issues with people who trip on them even after being warned verbally, a high viz cover being placed over it and a warning light on the cabin ceiling telling you it's there. I can't really see how a ambulift pax would get that far up the aircraft as they were normally seated in the second back double.
As for the state of the ambi seats they were all replaced about 3 years ago.
Is this a bitter and twisted poke at highland because the Heath Board have refused the King Air for transfer?
Your really must tell us the date and sector which this event occurred on. The posters that have replied to you from Highland are either ex Captains or Current ones stretching back over 4 years of operation of that route. Between us we have several thousand flights on that route. If an incident had occurred we would either have been involved or received paper work informing us of the event.
And re-reading your post I see the family have got their wish of the King Air transfer, good for them. But next time you sit down to read the newspaper and think the weather is blowing a gale and you can only see 750 meters down the road. The HWY pilots brought that newspaper to you and for all its faults the Jetstream is a superb ship for dealing with everything the west coast of scotland can throw at it.
Last edited by mad_jock; 10th May 2009 at 08:57.