HEMS in Europe
Hi Hoistop
My former associates will roll their eyes in boredom at me ranting on about this again; however, your use of
will tend to continue the misconception that taking a patient from one hospital to another cannot be carried out under HEMS. I suspect I will be fully retired by the time this misconception is finally put to bed but I keep trying - as you suggest later in your post, the HEMS requirement is based upon medical urgency not where the patient is being taken from/to.
Cheers
TeeS
My former associates will roll their eyes in boredom at me ranting on about this again; however, your use of
and air ambulance (i.e. interhospital transfer)
Cheers
TeeS
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: North of Scotland
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Hi, Hoistop.
Having difficulty defining HEMS as it seems to mean different things in different places. For this project have generally regarded it as urgent helicopter transport and although many helicopters are designated for inter-hospital transfer, many still participate in primary missions. Also, offshore helicopters perform ' air ambulance' as well as urgent medical evacuations. I have encompassed most types if they include primary retrieval, but this is certainly a limitation of my study as in different countries different services undertake HEMS missions. In general I have excluded SAR, if there are dedicated HEMS in that country, but not if the SAR helicopters perform an integral and regular participation in HEMS tasks. Probably no clearer, am afraid. Not sure how to PM but will work it out. Have an email address at [email protected]. Thanks for the input.
Having difficulty defining HEMS as it seems to mean different things in different places. For this project have generally regarded it as urgent helicopter transport and although many helicopters are designated for inter-hospital transfer, many still participate in primary missions. Also, offshore helicopters perform ' air ambulance' as well as urgent medical evacuations. I have encompassed most types if they include primary retrieval, but this is certainly a limitation of my study as in different countries different services undertake HEMS missions. In general I have excluded SAR, if there are dedicated HEMS in that country, but not if the SAR helicopters perform an integral and regular participation in HEMS tasks. Probably no clearer, am afraid. Not sure how to PM but will work it out. Have an email address at [email protected]. Thanks for the input.
Anno Domini 2107. my home country 9A spent 2016. with military and police "HEMS" all with no concerns about EU 965/2012, national AOC or/and any HEMS approval. Claim "we are saving lives" was enough for public on national level.
On the other hand, local experiment with 4 months pilot with full AOC HEMS (HHMS) starting in 2015. and ending in Jan 2016. had even more safety concerns, some even was subject of EASA audit over the local CCAA
We can see some development over the border in Slovenia, where local CAA have some objections regarding another year under sort of national AOC. In
regard that -> https://ec.europa.eu/commission/comm...4-2019/bulc_en we may expect some interesting development...
Some documents are already sourced from Commission side, showing that
there is no common understanding of problem even within that EC body...
My conclusion is that in regard of distance from Brussels local EU member state can have much less concerns regarding common European laws, regulations and best practice.
Opinions ?
On the other hand, local experiment with 4 months pilot with full AOC HEMS (HHMS) starting in 2015. and ending in Jan 2016. had even more safety concerns, some even was subject of EASA audit over the local CCAA
We can see some development over the border in Slovenia, where local CAA have some objections regarding another year under sort of national AOC. In
regard that -> https://ec.europa.eu/commission/comm...4-2019/bulc_en we may expect some interesting development...
Some documents are already sourced from Commission side, showing that
there is no common understanding of problem even within that EC body...
On behalf of Mr Joshua Salsby
Cabinet Member of Commissioner for Transport
Dear Sir,
I thank you for your mail of XXXXX 2016 on a possible violation by Slovenia of the applicable rules on helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) operations which attracted my attention.
As regards HEMS operations, these are governed by Regulation 216/2008 and its Implementing regulations, which are essentially addressing the safety of such operations, including the specific authorisations granted at national level. This does however not prevent that a Member State to authorise an organisation such as the military, which is not covered by the EU aviation safety rules, to carry out HEMS services. In many countries the army intervenes for exemple to assist in cases of natural disaster. I understand that Slovenia decided that HEMS operations will be provided temporarily by the military, due to the fact that other providers are currently not able to carry out this service.
I forwarded your message to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) which together with the Commission monitors the application of the EU aviation safety rules.
Best regards,
Joshua Salsby
Cabinet Member of Commissioner for Transport
Dear Sir,
I thank you for your mail of XXXXX 2016 on a possible violation by Slovenia of the applicable rules on helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) operations which attracted my attention.
As regards HEMS operations, these are governed by Regulation 216/2008 and its Implementing regulations, which are essentially addressing the safety of such operations, including the specific authorisations granted at national level. This does however not prevent that a Member State to authorise an organisation such as the military, which is not covered by the EU aviation safety rules, to carry out HEMS services. In many countries the army intervenes for exemple to assist in cases of natural disaster. I understand that Slovenia decided that HEMS operations will be provided temporarily by the military, due to the fact that other providers are currently not able to carry out this service.
I forwarded your message to the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) which together with the Commission monitors the application of the EU aviation safety rules.
Best regards,
Joshua Salsby
Opinions ?
Hats down to journalists in Slovenia.... S5 CAA director admits: Military HEMS is not
legal in European member country (07:50)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8M...?usp=drive_web
Before you ask.... Yes, Croatia 9A have even worse problem
legal in European member country
(07:50)https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8M...?usp=drive_web
Before you ask.... Yes, Croatia 9A have even worse problem
Scandal going on.... EC Violeta Bulc involved....
24ur.com - Koga ??iti Violeta Bulc? Evropa kljub prijavi o neurejenih razmerah helikopterskega re?evanja v Sloveniji ne ve ni?
24ur.com - Koga ??iti Violeta Bulc? Evropa kljub prijavi o neurejenih razmerah helikopterskega re?evanja v Sloveniji ne ve ni?
IFR in German HEMS ops
I'm not aware that in Germany there is any station doing Night HEMS with non IFR rated pilots.
Generally speaking primary HEMS in Germany is strictly daytime VFR ops.
IFR only secondary HEMS. (There is an experiment running with NVG op's but that is really an exception)
There are 76 stations in Germany.
14 of those are 24/7 (edit: <Mostly> Secondary HEMS).
Biggest operators are ADAC (German Automobile Club) with 34 stations and DRF (public trust) 29 stations, which are private organisations and the German Ministery of the Interior (12 stations).
Types used:
Mainly EC135 for primary HEMS.
BK117 / EC145 some of which also used for secondary HEMS (IFR).
Two stations still using B412 mainly secondary HEMS at least one of them soon to be replaced by an EC145 and one station AS365N2 also mainly secondary HEMS (IFR)
Generally speaking primary HEMS in Germany is strictly daytime VFR ops.
IFR only secondary HEMS. (There is an experiment running with NVG op's but that is really an exception)
There are 76 stations in Germany.
14 of those are 24/7 (edit: <Mostly> Secondary HEMS).
Biggest operators are ADAC (German Automobile Club) with 34 stations and DRF (public trust) 29 stations, which are private organisations and the German Ministery of the Interior (12 stations).
Types used:
Mainly EC135 for primary HEMS.
BK117 / EC145 some of which also used for secondary HEMS (IFR).
Two stations still using B412 mainly secondary HEMS at least one of them soon to be replaced by an EC145 and one station AS365N2 also mainly secondary HEMS (IFR)
The opposite is the case. Only a minority of the pilots doing night HEMS in Germany is instrument rated and/or current in instrument flight. Since Germany allows NVFR operations the only restriction is that all HEMS night operations are dual pilot, but mostly NVFR. On a day only HEMS base you are only allowed to start a HEMS missions single pilot during the daylight period, but then finish it into night time. No dispatch into the night single pilot. The night bases are (as far as I know) all being NVG trained at the moment. Some have started normal NVG ops a while ago, some havent started the training yet. IFR even on secondary HEMS is not a big topic for the future for all the operators apart from DRF/HDM/"Team DRF".
