
The government of the state of Galicia is reported to have cut flying hours for EMS helicopters in an apparent cost-cutting exercise, according to the locally based 20Minutos, among others.
Traditionally, two helicopters have operated in daylight hours for the last 25 years, which gives at least 15 flying hours in mid-summer. However, it has now emerged that the change of management of the helicopters from the Emergencies Agency to the Healthcare Agency has had other implications. The helicopters are now available for a maximum of 12 hours on any day, irrespective of the time of year. Longer daylight times in summer means that a total of 380 hours are lost from operational availability. Local press have not investigated the time line for incidents to know what impact this would have on the emergencies that have been attended in the past – it is possible that the first or last three hours of a 15 hour day could be much quieter than the middle part of the day, and the overall impact of less flying hours is reduced. However, it is clear that the location of key trauma centres is such that some large towns are a 60-90 minute land journey away, a situation where helicopters would be a key advantage. That land journey time would be applicable at night, with or without the reduction in flying hours.
HeliHub.com understands that the two helicopters involved are EC135s operated by INAER Spain.
Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com
Related Posts
- TKK Orders 2nd EC135 FTD from FRASCA
- Airbus and Air Methods sign additional HCare
- Aeromed in Puerto Rico adds third helicopter
- 08-Dec-20 F-HJAF Airbus EC135T1 Bonvillard, France (5F)
- 15-Nov-20 N442ME Airbus EC135 Williamsport, US-Pennsylvania
- ESG enables Internet in helicopters
- Compass and ALG ship EC135 from UK to US for Air Methods
- Netherlands – HeliCentre buys Entrol EC135 simulator
- Devon Air Ambulance resumes ops – EC135s fitted with separation screens
- UT Health East Texas welcomes third rebranded EC135
- EC135 Reduced mandatory maintenance and flight checks
- Devon Air Ambulance adds two Critical Care Cars
- Gama Aviation releases Flight Data Monitoring mod for Airbus H135 and H145
- Devon Air Ambulance reports 2019 statistics
- Royal Thai Air Force orders six Airbus H135 military trainers
- Polish Border Guard adds Airbus H135
- Gozo EMS operation upgrading to EC135
- DRF Luftrettung expands its H145 and H135 fleet
- NASA orders three Airbus H135s
- EASA approves STC for Trakka TLX searchlight on EC135