American Eurocopter has awarded two scholarships to leaders of Air Medical Transport  teams to attend a comprehensive training program aimed at improving the safety of air medical transport.

The scholarships cover the costs of participation in the Safety Management Training Academy that is conducted annually by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), an industry group. AAMS, based in Alexandria, Va., is the only trade association serving the entire air and ground medical transport community.

As part of its commitment to assist in continually improving the safety of air medical transport, American Eurocopter will award two $2,100 scholarships annually for the training program.

“Our commitment is to support access to quality safety education and training for the air medical community,” said Jennifer Hardcastle, American Eurocopter Sales Manager for Air Medical Services.

The AAMS safety academy is a robust training program on safety management for the air medical and critical care medical transport community. The program provides participants with a comprehensive foundation in the science and application of safety systems across the entire enterprise of medical transportation, including special emphasis on safety management systems, patient safety, aviation and vehicle operational safety and workplace safety.

Winners of the first two scholarships were announced June 10 at the AAMS Safety Management Training Academy in Dallas. They are:

Josh Weiland, Safety Officer for Sanford AirMed Enterprise, based in Sioux Falls, S.D. Weiland, 32, has been a fixed wing aircraft pilot for Sanford for seven years and recently was promoted to safety officer. He attended the Dallas training session on the scholarship.

“It is a great honor for me to be awarded a scholarship for a cause I am very passionate about and to know that American Eurocopter’s commitment to safety will benefit other programs in the future,” Weiland said. “I have learned more in the last four days than I have in the previous four months from ‘on the job’ training because I attended this class.”

Peter Carros, 52, was recently named Safety Manager for Geisinger Health Systems, Danville, Pa. Geisinger recently transitioned to its own FAA Part 135 Air Taxi Certificate. Carros, a pilot for Geisinger aviation operators since 2004, will be in charge of implementing efforts for continuously updating and improving the safety management systems of Geisinger.

“I’m really excited about this opportunity,” said Carros, who will be attending the Safety Management Training Academy in 2014. “I am excited that the leadership of Geisinger recognized the need for this training and that they are committed to having a full time safety manager. The AAMS program is unique. I’m looking forward to learning the safety fundamentals from the medical perspective.”

About American Eurocopter

American Eurocopter is the U.S. affiliate of Eurocopter, the largest helicopter manufacturer in the world, and a subsidiary of EADS North America Holdings, the North American operations of EADS, a world leader in aerospace, defense and related services. American Eurocopter is a helicopter manufacturer and markets, sells and supports the broadest range of civil and Para public helicopters offered by any manufacturer. The product line represents the most cost-effective, technologically-advanced helicopters, ranging from light single to heavy twin aircraft, serving all markets and missions. American Eurocopter’s headquarters and main facility are in Grand Prairie, with a large manufacturing and production facility in Columbus, Miss.

Jennifer Hardcastle, American Eurocopter Sales Manager for Air Medical Services, presents a certificate to Josh Weiland, Safety Officer for Sanford AirMed Enterprise, of Sioux Falls, S.D. Weiland is the first winner of a scholarship awarded by American Eurocopter to a leader of an Air Medical Transport team to cover the costs of participation in the Safety Management Training Academy that is conducted annually by the Association of Air Medical Services.