Rethinking the Safety of Medical Helicopters

Friday, July 26, 2013 at 05:22 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

While 2008 marked a peak in total EMS helicopter fatalities, the article argues that the accident rate per flight hour has actually declined over 30 years, indicating an overall improvement in safety.
Public perception of EMS helicopter flying as exceptionally dangerous is often skewed by the high visibility and catastrophic nature of individual crashes, which frequently occur under challenging conditions like night flying or at unprepared accident scenes.
Following NTSB scrutiny, both the air ambulance industry and regulatory bodies have implemented or proposed significant safety improvements, including advanced cockpit technology, enhanced training, risk management systems, and initiatives to mitigate pilot pressure.