Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
NEMSPA POISED TO LAUNCH "CHAMPS"
The National EMS Pilot's Association had great success soliciting support for it's latest safety-enhancing initiative, The CHAMPS survey at the recent AMTC. You can learn the details from their website at nemspa.org, but in a nutshell this survey allows flight programs to take their cultural "pulse and pressure," and to compare and contrast different segments of their operation. As well you will be able to compare your organization to the industry - with privacy protections built in through the system. The cost is extremely reasonable - only $500 to find out what makes your team tick.
I encourage you to contact NEMSPA and get in line with the industry leaders that have already pledged financial support for a program that will undoubtedly inform, educate, and enhance safety. In no time at all you too can become CHAMPS!
fly safe!
Saturday, September 27, 2014
That Others May Live
Years ago, I taught this event as a case study. It was the subject of an Omniflight event report. Indeed I presented this at this pilot's base - not knowing that he was in the class. Perhaps this is the reason he decided to come forward and tell his side of the story. If you are a crewmember, ask yourself how you could have taken the pressure off this pilot when the bus showed up.
This video makes the case for IFR training for ALL EMS pilots better than any impassioned plea. Click here.
This video makes the case for IFR training for ALL EMS pilots better than any impassioned plea. Click here.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
AMTC 2014 NASHVILLE
Adding more images from our facebook page...helicopterems.com. Image rights reserved.
![]()
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Active Observation and Situational Awareness...
If you are a HEMS crewmember, I want you to do me a favor and watch a music video. Please look very carefully for the "flub" that one of the band members commits. It's hard to see - but if you try you can catch it. You may need to enlarge the video image to get a good picture.
If you don't see an embedded video, you can access it by clicking here....
After you finish, scroll down and we'll consider what you found.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
So, did you find the mistake?
I confess, there wasn't one. It took WOTE (Walk off the Earth - an awesome cover band from Canada) 26 attempts to get it right. I tricked you. I wanted to point out the difference between passive and active observation, and how this affects our situational awareness - or - knowing what is going on around us at any instant. As you can see - active observation is harder than passive observation. Over time it makes one tired, and if you are already tired it is almost impossible. Perhaps the greatest (fictional) example of active observation was Sherlock Holmes. He would walk up to a crime scene and "notice" things that no one else did. We too can increase our ability to "detect," but it takes discipline and practice. And work.
Have you ever had the chance to see a film twice in a short period of time? If you are like me, you probably saw things in the second viewing that you missed the first time. The details jump off the screen the second time around, and why is that? Why do we see things the second time that we missed on our first look. Perhaps it's because we are paying more attention to the key players and the dialogue at first, and the "background" is true to it's name. The second time we watch the film, we already have an idea about what the main characters are going to do and say, so we can divide our attention to the small details - like the painting on the wall of the castle where the zombies are eating the hero.
When we fly in a helo as a crewmember, we need to be watching the film for the second time - picking up the little details that are easy to miss, like how many lights you can see on the ground at night, how far you can see during the day, the new little sound or shimmy or shiver your machine has, or even how I your pilot am just like I always was - or maybe I am not.
(hint - if I am different you better sort out why)
safe flights...
If you don't see an embedded video, you can access it by clicking here....
After you finish, scroll down and we'll consider what you found.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
So, did you find the mistake?
I confess, there wasn't one. It took WOTE (Walk off the Earth - an awesome cover band from Canada) 26 attempts to get it right. I tricked you. I wanted to point out the difference between passive and active observation, and how this affects our situational awareness - or - knowing what is going on around us at any instant. As you can see - active observation is harder than passive observation. Over time it makes one tired, and if you are already tired it is almost impossible. Perhaps the greatest (fictional) example of active observation was Sherlock Holmes. He would walk up to a crime scene and "notice" things that no one else did. We too can increase our ability to "detect," but it takes discipline and practice. And work.
Have you ever had the chance to see a film twice in a short period of time? If you are like me, you probably saw things in the second viewing that you missed the first time. The details jump off the screen the second time around, and why is that? Why do we see things the second time that we missed on our first look. Perhaps it's because we are paying more attention to the key players and the dialogue at first, and the "background" is true to it's name. The second time we watch the film, we already have an idea about what the main characters are going to do and say, so we can divide our attention to the small details - like the painting on the wall of the castle where the zombies are eating the hero.
When we fly in a helo as a crewmember, we need to be watching the film for the second time - picking up the little details that are easy to miss, like how many lights you can see on the ground at night, how far you can see during the day, the new little sound or shimmy or shiver your machine has, or even how I your pilot am just like I always was - or maybe I am not.
(hint - if I am different you better sort out why)
safe flights...
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Nothing Lasts Forever...
Never underestimate the role that luck plays in a successful flying career....
On July 17, 1999, at 1231 central daylight time, a Messerschmit-Bolkow-Blohm BK-117-B2 helicopter, N110HH, operating as LIFEFLIGHT 1, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following the separation of a main rotor blade during an approach to an unmanned fueling site near Fresno, Texas.
Fate and luck can be with us, or against us. Click here for full story...
On July 17, 1999, at 1231 central daylight time, a Messerschmit-Bolkow-Blohm BK-117-B2 helicopter, N110HH, operating as LIFEFLIGHT 1, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following the separation of a main rotor blade during an approach to an unmanned fueling site near Fresno, Texas.
Fate and luck can be with us, or against us. Click here for full story...
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Sunday, September 7, 2014
NTSB Factual Report on Mason City Iowa Crash
"We’re not going to speculate about what unfolded,” Buttrell said. “The investigation will tell.”
Witnesses and first responders reported mist, drizzle, and icy road conditions at the time of the accident. One first responder reported observing a police car slide through a roadway intersection due to the slick conditions while responding to the accident site.
Full report available by clicking here...
Winter is coming...
Witnesses and first responders reported mist, drizzle, and icy road conditions at the time of the accident. One first responder reported observing a police car slide through a roadway intersection due to the slick conditions while responding to the accident site.
Full report available by clicking here...
 |
| Image courtesy Jeff Heinz, The Globe Gazette |
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Remembering the BK...
They are almost all gone from the ranks now, but there was a time when the BK was #1
If you have a favorite memory, share it with us.
