Info on US air ambulances
Info on US air ambulances
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: UK
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The US EMS pilots are severly underpaid (in most cases) eg. Start pay $44,500 (work that out in pounds)!! for EMS up in the north east, Philadelphi way, where house prices are not that much different to the UK, then take out your medical each month...get the point! Also in the US there is a severe lack of respect for these "drivers," a lot of the shifts are 7 on 7 off, 12 hour days, and often you will exceed this and the extra hours you are not paid for!!!!!!!!!!!!! This isn't EVERY EMS program that does this but the majority... The US also flies Night vfr, (we know that this an unsafe practice as they fly to unknown landing sites) also they do single pilot IFR as well.....All for that huge paycheck!
hope this helps.
hope this helps.
Join Date: Feb 2001
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Useful links coming up as requested...
A good site to start at for US EMS is www.flightweb.com There is also www.airems.com but it seems from a regular, but fleeting, glance at this one that it is dependant on more up to date sites.
A good site to start at for US EMS is www.flightweb.com There is also www.airems.com but it seems from a regular, but fleeting, glance at this one that it is dependant on more up to date sites.
Last edited by Heliport; 3rd Nov 2003 at 15:14.
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Hey Fatigue...I think you would find that most of us who are US EMS pilots relish the 7&7 12 hour schedule. As for going over the twelve hours that does happen, not regularly but it does happen, and only if it is deemed a medical necessity. As for your opinion of night VFR being "unsafe" and landing at unknown landing sites, I'm sure that once again you would find the majority of us who do it on a regular basis are well trained as well as professional enough to know when an lz is unsafe or when we shouldn't be out flying VFR, SPVFR, or for that matter SPIFR. Until you do the job you know not of what you speak.
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Hey rotorcaptain.......
Quote 'As for going over the twelve hours that does happen, not regularly but it does happen, and only if it is deemed a medical necessity.'
Maybe YOU should read the regs a little more before admonishing someone. Quote 'Until you do the job you know not of what you speak.'
CFR14 Part135.267 Read it and learn...
Quote 'As for going over the twelve hours that does happen, not regularly but it does happen, and only if it is deemed a medical necessity.'
Maybe YOU should read the regs a little more before admonishing someone. Quote 'Until you do the job you know not of what you speak.'
CFR14 Part135.267 Read it and learn...
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Maybe I wasn't clear on how far over we occassionally go over the twelve hour shift. If you read the FAR, that you don't seem to think I know, you will see that we can fly for up to 14 hours per 24 period. We do not exceed that limit.
§ 135.267 Flight time limitations and rest requirements: Unscheduled one- and two-pilot crews.
(a) No certificate holder may assign any flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for flight time as a member of a one- or two-pilot crew if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed --
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, during any 24 consecutive hours the total flight time of the assigned flight when added to any other commercial flying by that flight crewmember may not exceed --
(1) 8 hours for a flight crew consisting of one pilot; or
(c) A flight crewmember's flight time may exceed the flight time limits of paragraph (b) of this section if the assigned flight time occurs during a regularly assigned duty period of no more than 14 hours and --
(1) If this duty period is immediately preceded by and followed by a required rest period of at least 10 consecutive hours of rest;
(2) If flight time is assigned during this period, that total flight time when added to any other commercial flying by the flight crewmember may not exceed --
(i) 8 hours for a flight crew consisting of one pilot; or
(ii) 10 hours for a flight crew consisting of two pilots; and
§ 135.267 Flight time limitations and rest requirements: Unscheduled one- and two-pilot crews.
(a) No certificate holder may assign any flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for flight time as a member of a one- or two-pilot crew if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flying will exceed --
(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, during any 24 consecutive hours the total flight time of the assigned flight when added to any other commercial flying by that flight crewmember may not exceed --
(1) 8 hours for a flight crew consisting of one pilot; or
(c) A flight crewmember's flight time may exceed the flight time limits of paragraph (b) of this section if the assigned flight time occurs during a regularly assigned duty period of no more than 14 hours and --
(1) If this duty period is immediately preceded by and followed by a required rest period of at least 10 consecutive hours of rest;
(2) If flight time is assigned during this period, that total flight time when added to any other commercial flying by the flight crewmember may not exceed --
(i) 8 hours for a flight crew consisting of one pilot; or
(ii) 10 hours for a flight crew consisting of two pilots; and
Join Date: Dec 2001
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Rotorcaptain..
You may exceed the 14 hour limit as imposed by the FARS.. It all revolves around the "Planned completion time" of the assignment.
Unneccesary delays etc etc, as long as you then do not fly fatigued [Feds will attempt to get you on 91.13(a)].
BTW the limit is not the 14 hours, but the 10 hours of rest required in the previous 24 hour period..
And yes I do know as I have received several legal interpretations of far 135,267 from the FEDS regarding this issue...
Fly safely
C4
Ps. I was not trying to piss you off..
You may exceed the 14 hour limit as imposed by the FARS.. It all revolves around the "Planned completion time" of the assignment.
Unneccesary delays etc etc, as long as you then do not fly fatigued [Feds will attempt to get you on 91.13(a)].
BTW the limit is not the 14 hours, but the 10 hours of rest required in the previous 24 hour period..
And yes I do know as I have received several legal interpretations of far 135,267 from the FEDS regarding this issue...
Fly safely
C4
Ps. I was not trying to piss you off..
Join Date: Jul 2003
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EMS Website...
Here's another EMS website I happen to come across today. It's call the National EMS Pilot's Association (click here). If you really want to know what's going on in the community, contact the folks listed on the website.
Join Date: Dec 2001
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It is generally 12 hour shifts with 7 days on then 7 off, rotating to 7 nights on and then 7 off...
It is actually a great shift cycle for EMS if the program is not too busy. If the program is busy, the week of night shift can become very long and very tiring..
It is actually a great shift cycle for EMS if the program is not too busy. If the program is busy, the week of night shift can become very long and very tiring..
Join Date: Oct 2003
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To C4 and Rotorcaptain.........
Just wondering, but surely after working 7 days at 12hours + each day, at the end of your work week, mental fatigue MUST be a problem????? I can't imagine working 12 hrs for 7 days in ANY profession where you would not be just a little tired at the end of it!!!!!!!!! No big deal if you are stacking shelves at the local supermarket, but a night flight, seventh day, poor vis, low ceilings, end of shift...get my point?
Could this be why the US EMS operators have the highest accident rate compared to other helicopter professions??????????
Just wondering, but surely after working 7 days at 12hours + each day, at the end of your work week, mental fatigue MUST be a problem????? I can't imagine working 12 hrs for 7 days in ANY profession where you would not be just a little tired at the end of it!!!!!!!!! No big deal if you are stacking shelves at the local supermarket, but a night flight, seventh day, poor vis, low ceilings, end of shift...get my point?
Could this be why the US EMS operators have the highest accident rate compared to other helicopter professions??????????
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Yes, you can be tired from a weeks work.. If your program is a really busy one.. They tend to change their schedule to reflect the busy-ness of the program. Day shift is not a problem, but long night shifts can be brutal. You do get used to it (Circadian rhythyms adjust), especially after doing it for a few years.
RE. the accident rate.. The accident rate was very bad in the 80's and early 90's. It has changed very much since about 1996.. The statistics all date back as far as the beginning of helicopter ems, and does not reflect the very low current rate.
Be safe out there
C4
RE. the accident rate.. The accident rate was very bad in the 80's and early 90's. It has changed very much since about 1996.. The statistics all date back as far as the beginning of helicopter ems, and does not reflect the very low current rate.
Be safe out there
C4
Let's see here:
7 x 12hr shifts
low pay.
What type of pilot applies for this job? {Actually it sounds more like a junior hospital doctor's job!}
I would guess, either a junior joe who is keen to get any flying job, or an ex mil pilot with a pension doing EMS as a hobby.
Mmmm - interesting CRM issue perhaps.
7 x 12hr shifts
low pay.
What type of pilot applies for this job? {Actually it sounds more like a junior hospital doctor's job!}
I would guess, either a junior joe who is keen to get any flying job, or an ex mil pilot with a pension doing EMS as a hobby.
Mmmm - interesting CRM issue perhaps.
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Whoateallthepies.
No I'm not a citizen, and the Green Card Lottery appears to exclude the UK, (amongst other countries), for this year's draw, so that's that avenue knackered.
Is there an excess of helicopter pilots in the states still, or would a foreign national have a chance of being sponsored for a work permit by a US company?
No I'm not a citizen, and the Green Card Lottery appears to exclude the UK, (amongst other countries), for this year's draw, so that's that avenue knackered.
Is there an excess of helicopter pilots in the states still, or would a foreign national have a chance of being sponsored for a work permit by a US company?
Join Date: Aug 2001
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It's a couple of years since I tried to find work in the US. I had a positive response to my CV from a few EMS outfits but none of them were prepared to sponsor for a green card. I think there are still plenty of US pilots looking for work!
Let me know if you have any luck.
Let me know if you have any luck.
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No such thing as "sponsoring" in the USA aviation world gents!!!!
INS have determined that pilots are not a professional form of employment and as such are not eligible for the H type (sponsorship) visas.....
So Sorry...
INS have determined that pilots are not a professional form of employment and as such are not eligible for the H type (sponsorship) visas.....
So Sorry...