3 Ways to Keep Your Air Medical Helicopter Mission Ready

As a provider of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), your concept of mission readiness is likely stricter than other helicopter service companies’. Where a readiness issue for an air taxi pilot might result in a late arrival to a destination, for instance, your ability to complete the job can mean the difference between life and death. You are often called on to fly into unknown situations where seconds matter, despite bad weather, geographic challenges and population density. Honeywell understands the risks you take every day, and has a portfolio of solutions that keep your pilots ready for any challenge.

Here are three ways Honeywell helps keep your HEMS aircraft ready for any mission:

Sky Connect Tracker 3 Advanced. A big part of staying ready for any mission is the ability to track and manage helicopters during an operation. Honeywell’s Sky Connect Tracker 3 Advanced, simplifies fleet management by enabling any equipped aircraft in the world to be tracked in real time via the Iridium satellite network. The solution software integrates easily with most third-party systems and significantly increases situational awareness for mission commanders by providing each helicopter’s location, GPS flight plan, crew status and weather overlays on topographical maps. Sky Connect Tracker's new support for Iridium Push-to-Talk service enables secure, inter-fleet communications with the simplicity of a radio and the reach of global satellites. That means on-board crew members can discuss issues such as sudden medical changes with medical personnel on the ground and collaborate in real time for the highest quality of service.

Flight Data Monitoring (FDM). A 2018 FAA ruling requires large-fleet helicopter air ambulances to acquire flight data monitoring (FDM) capabilities to enhance safety and minimize downtime due to maintenance issues. Honeywell’s Sky Connect Tracker III and Tracker III Advance are among the most reliable and most deployed solutions for complying with this regulation. The Sky Connect Flight Data Monitoring app is also available, allowing ground maintenance and operations teams to easily download and view recorded flight data on their iPad devices. Another solution, Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), is sensor based and tracks and measures continuous vibration in the drivetrain as well as assessing rotor, track and balance performance. All of these FDM systems keep HEMS pilots ready for any mission by alerting maintenance crews to potential maintenance issues, helping them determine if an aircraft requires attention before the next mission.

Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning Systems (EGPWS). Emergencies can occur anywhere, and Honeywell’s Mark XXI and Mark XXII enhanced ground proximity warning systems (EGPWS) are valuable tools that can decrease the risks of the job—especially in rough weather and unfamiliar locations. Drawing upon a robust database that covers 100% of the world’s terrain and includes more than 120,000 man-made obstacles, the system provides real-time displays and advanced alerts to increase situational awareness and keep pilots flying safely. The solutions include special operation modes for low-level operations and search and rescue over water—two situations common in many HEMS missions. With EGPWS from Honeywell, you can help reduce pilot workload and stress and increase readiness to venture into practically any situation.

Safety for both patients and flight crews is the number-one priority for HEMS operations. Honeywell is committed to keeping helicopter air ambulances mission ready through technologies that improve aircraft tracking, fleet management, flight data monitoring, proximity warnings and situational awareness. Our expertise in high-stakes scenarios can keep your aircraft in peak performance and help you achieve mission success.