So,Fly911 your point is that no matter what equipment we are going to make mandatory for the safe conduct of specific EMS operations, there shall always be the White Knight or the Cowboy who's going to want to impress the two SLBs in the back.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
However I believe that it's not merely an equipment standpoint, it's the whole industry mentality that needs to be rearranged, and drastically so. The Aeromedical industry is in reality another expression of the flawed medical structure in the USA, flawed because it's based on protagonism and appearances and not real patient care values.
I have flown EMS for several years and thank God never ones I had to use a VFR only single engine aircraft with no stabilization other than my seat of the pants, however I did feel peer pressure coming from the primadonnas in the back and coming from those pilots who wanted to be counted in "the circle of friends".
That's why I am not there any longer (ask SAS) and that's why I shall keep away from any other EMS job trap again.
The problem is that EMS is run by the customers and as long as there are no structures in place to limit the overbearing intrusion of a non aviation entity in the operational control of an aviation activity we shall continue to see what we see.
Let's change the structure of HEMS, let's isolate the moneymaking from the flying and we shall reap the rewards with drastically decreased accident numbers and RATES.
