Medical diversions

[Nicholas49]

Medical diversions have come up three times this week (the BA flight from Budapest to London, and two easyJet flights to the UK), so I wonder if a professional pilot would kindly answer a nagging question?

What rate of descent would you 'typically' (I appreciate that there are variables here) use for such a procedure? Something like 6,000 feet per minute? Also, would you ever use a rate of descent as high as that used for a full emergency descent (due to cabin depressurisation, for example).

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to respond.

Nick

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

From an ATC viewpoint, medical diversions or priority landings are almost a daily occurrence. Most of the time the aeroplane is flown normally for the descent, approach and landing. If the medical problem involves ears, usually a very slow descent rate is adopted. It's easy to accommodate such movements so it's no big deal.

HTH

[Intruder]

Normal descents from altitude peak at about 3500 FPM. Cabin pressure rate of descent is closer to 500-1000 FPM. Depending on the scenario, a medical divert may not require any more than a normal descent. Seldom is more than 5000 FPM used...

[Bealzebub]

No, there are other considerations. A diversion for a medical emergency will normally be to an airport with the nearby facilities to treat the passenger. This will involve a planned decent and approach. That will necessitate extracting approach plates and briefing for the new approach. Liason needs to take place with the cabin. Passengers require information. Ops and medlink will probably also need to be informed. The passenger themselves is also likely receiving treatment and care. This all takes time and that needs to be factored into the decision of which alternate will be used for the diversion.

An emergency descent due to cabin depressurisation involves a critical consideration to decend to the minimum safe altitude or 10,0000ft due to limited oxygen resources. In a medical emergency that is not a consideration.

If the passenger is critical due to a cardiac arrest or some other time critical event that cannot be rescued or stabilized on board, then the reality is they might well die. Neverthless due consideration must be given to the safety of all the passengers and crew as well as the aircraft. A diversion of this nature raises the workload suddenly and significantly, however the requirement to provide the necessary time for a safe and effective diversion is still paramount.

The rate of descent used will, as always depend on the distance to the landing runway, however decending at high rates is not particularly desirable or essential due to the time constraints and the fact that it could otherwise delay or interfere with the necessity of attending to the patient and that of giving the crew time to properly prepare for the unexpected early arrival.