On 4 March, International SOS coordinated a highly complex evacuation of four ICU patients, repatriating the individuals from La Réunion island to Paris.

The operation was commissioned by the French Ministry of Health and carried out in collaboration with the SAMU, the emergency medical services in France, the Regional Health Agency, Air Austral and Aéroports de Paris. This is the first time that so many ICU COVID-19 patients have been transported simultaneously on such a long-haul flight.

“Transporting one or two seriously ill patients is part of everyday life. This particular situation was highly unique and even more complex, with all four patients in an unconscious and intubated-ventilated condition. Medical evacuations, particularly during the pandemic, are complex but this was even more so, requiring an even greater level of care and coordination. We were honoured to be called on for our expertise and proud to be part of the team that was able to transport the patients safely“, explained Dr Arnaud Derossi, Regional Medical Director at International SOS.

Evacuation details

The chartered Air Austral Boeing 787 took off from Réunion Island at 9:33 p.m. local time (6:33 p.m. Paris time) and landed at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport on Friday 5 March 2021 at 5:15am local time, after an eleven-hour flight. A civil aviation exemption had been necessary to allow Air Austral to embark so many patients on stretchers and such a high volume of oxygen.

The mission was staffed by the SAMU from Paris and La Réunion, with 5 ICU doctors, 5 ICU nurses, 7 EMTs and 1 logistician, while International SOS provided a flight nurse and a logistics expert for supporting the various teams and interfacing with the aircraft crew and the International SOS Paris assistance centre.

The International SOS Assistance Centre’s role was to interface with the various SAMUs, the airport and the aircraft, under supervision by the Health Ministry crisis centre, planning for and managing all requirements. Also, a critical aspect was to be able to quickly react in case of the aircraft diversion due to a technical incident, in order to prepare ground support for the patients. Due to the severity of the disease, advanced equipment was loaded and installed on the aircraft such as portable blood analysers, ultrasound machine and 2 ECMO machines (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation), as well as backup ventilators. This represented one ton of medical equipment, along with 9,500 litres of oxygen for each patient.

Universal Air Evac is pleased to announce the expansion of our capabilities in Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic through the acquisition and implementation of a portable negative pressure isolation unit.

This allows us to transport most infectious patients while maintaining the safety of our crew, providers and patients at the forefront of our operational priorities. The portable isolation unit allows for the rapid setup of a biologically isolated area from the environment outside of the chamber allowing our crew to continue providing emergency medical transport while maintaining maximum protection.

Other measures implemented to ensure the highest levels of safety include:

• Comprehensive screening and ongoing monitoring of all our crew;

• Quarantining of crew between duty periods;

• Pre-flight patient screening and assessment before departure from home base;

• Vaporized disinfection of aircraft interiors and equipment in addition to our standard cleaning procedures.

Medical evacuation of patients across borders has become extremely complicated due to varying restrictions imposed by governments in their fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Universal Air Evac remains available to assist you with these movements and encourage you to make contact that we help you navigate through the challenges of moving your patient or insured to an upgraded level of care.

For further information please visit: www.uniairevac.com

German Special Mission and VIP-Charter Operator FAI rent-a-jet AG has welcomed its seventh Bombardier Global Express, MSN 9016, to the company’s 26-strong fleet.

Siegfried Axtmann, FAI Aviation Group Chairman, comments, “We are delighted to be working with the renowned Tim Callies and his team on our Global Express enabling the new owner to personalise their interior as part of our ‘Signature Edition’. FAI Technik has performed numerous 120- and 180-month inspections on BD700 series aircraft, notably this aircraft will be the first Global Express to undergo its second 10-year inspection at our MRO. With its state-of-the-art carbon fibre cabin, it will represent extraordinary value for money on the Global Express pre-owned market.”

Following a 240-month inspection, the Global Express will undergo a complete interior refurbishment at the company’s growing MRO division, FAI Technik in Nuremberg. Further planned upgrades include the installation of a new cabin management system, KA-Band Ultra-High Speed Wi-Fi Internet and new exterior paint. It is anticipated that the aircraft will be introduced to the market for sale or lease by the end of March 2019.

The aircraft’s custom interior will be designed by FAI’s design partner, award-winning German design specialist, Tim Callies. Tim, who is well known in the business aviation industry for his work on Boeing BBJ’s, Airbus ACJ’s and Global Express business jets will work with the future aircraft owner to select custom features to suit his or her own particular taste and lifestyle.

The Global Express will be FAI’s third “Signature Edition” aircraft where a buyer can personalise the cabin design and select upgrades for an all-in turnkey price. The end result offers the benefit of a fully refurbished aircraft with major maintenance inspections completed.

In addition to the seven Bombardier Global Express jets, FAI´s group fleet includes, five Bombardier Challenger 604s, one Challenger 850, 11 Learjet 60, plus one Premier 1A and one King Air 350. All Bombardier aircraft are maintained by FAI Technik GmbH in Nuremberg.

FAI is Germany’s largest general aviation operator by fleet operating more than 13,000 hours of airtime in 2017. It is also one of Europe’s largest Bombardier operators, which brings significant operational and cost benefits.

The European Aeromedical Institute is delighted to announce that Claudia Schmiedhuber has accepted the position as Managing Director at EURAMI e.V. as well as the position of CEO at EURAMI Global GmbH. Claudia has extensive background in the aeromedical and assistance industry and has successfully managed EURAMI as Interim Managing Director since September 2019.

Claudia is also the CEO & Founder of Alpine Health Consulting which she will continue to work with as an independent consultant and lecturer.

The Board would like to thank Andrew Wither for his work and dedication to the advancement of EURAMI and wishes him all the best for his future.

With many exciting projects coming up, the EURAMI Board and Office is embracing this new chapter and is looking forward to further increase the service, accreditation portfolio and membership experience.

Congratulations to the team at Air Alliance for winning the “Air Ambulance Provider of the Year Award” for the 2nd year running.

During the ceremony at the ITIJ Industry Awards in Geneva, Air Alliance competed against two further finalists and was handed the prestigious award by sponsor Larry Friedman - UC San Diego Health. 

Air Alliance would like to thank all clients and the entire team for their excellent support and great work. 

ABOUT AIR ALLIANCE MEDFLIGHT

Air Alliance Medflight is a 100% subsidiary of the Air Alliance Group, a company that has been successfully serving the market since 1993 in all aspects of aviation. Aircraft sales, air ambulance, aircraft maintenance/development and flight training center are the strategic business units of the company.

To date, Air Alliance runs a fleet of 11 own aircraft (Lear Jet 35, 55 and Challenger 604) They are located in Cologne - Siegerland (near Frankfurt) and Vienna / Austria.

Every year, some 780 missions around the globe and approximately 6,000 flight hours are accomplished. Air Alliance Medflight is specialized in long range flights and in flying to remote areas. On our flights, we propose the full spectrum of care: from basic to advanced life support and critical care with premium medical equipment.

We serve clients from around the globe, including major insurance and assistance companies, governments, hospitals, specialized aviation brokers and private payors

iPMI Magazine Air Ambulance Owner, Operator and Broker Services News: UCXtra MedJet is preparing to launch into the market of worldwide medical air transport (fixed-wing) with state of the art medical equipment, highly skilled ICU personnel, and the fastest fleet of jets in the industry.  

The rapidly evolving frontier of travel apps, language translation services on phones, and social connections being made between people across the globe, have given rise to a new generation of worldwide travelers. In fact, according to a study conducted by Visa, international travel will increase by 35% over the next decade. The study, developed in conjunction with Oxford Economics, analyses billions of Visa transactions to identify spending patterns across major purchases, and in regions, countries and major cities.

While planning a vacation, most people think about what might happen if there is an unforeseen medical emergency, but most don’t have plans in place if this were to occur. They are left to rely upon local health providers to make arrangements and decisions for them in regards to transport in emergency situations. This can cause significant stress and anxiety on both the injured/ill traveler, and their travel companions.

UCXtra MedJet is prepared and ready to assist all patients in a medical crisis requiring air transport. Their fleet of Cessna Citation X jets are the most advanced and capable aircraft in the industry. The Citation X has an airspeed of nearly 600 miles per hour, and a range of more than 3,400 miles. This is far beyond the capabilities of any other aircraft in the medical air transport service industry. Combine these attributes, with the fact that the Citation X is the pinnacle of luxury when it comes to private aircraft, and it’s clear that UCXtra MedJet is making a strong statement regarding their entry to market – they are here to drive the medical air transport industry into the future.

Meet the people of UCXtra MedJet that are driving advancement in the medical air transport industry. They will be launching UCXtra MedJet at ITIC Americas – Austin, TX Feb. 26th-28th.

Medic Air has evacuated a Belgian traveler with heart failure and septic shock from Ho Chi Minh City to Brussels by air ambulance on a local physicians' request.

The mission was performed last week with a twin team of four medical attendants, intensive care team and cardiovascular surgeon. During the 18 hour flight the patient benefited from Extra Corporal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), close monitoring with ultrasound and blood analyzer on board, French Lyophilized Plasma (PLYO), inotropic support and mechanical ventilation.

The twin team cohesion and logistic organization by Medic Air Ops desks in Shanghai and Paris follow the High Reliability Organization (HRO) appliance for all missions to guaranty the mindfulness of each act, expert in their daily professional practice. The evacuation was complex but completed smoothly and was uneventful.

AirCARE1 International has been selected to become a preferred Air Ambulance provider for the prestigious International Assistance Group (IAG). The International Assistance Group® is a global network of Partners and preferred providers from all sectors of assistance services located in over 170 countries throughout the world.

Selection to become a preferred provider for the IAG is based on a highly stringent selection process based on industry recommendation, adherence to the highest quality performance standards, and financial stability. Being a preferred provider of the International Assistance Group provides AirCARE1 International global operational benefits by utilizing proprietary resources to efficiently coordinate and perform patient transports worldwide.

SOS International was the first medical assistance company to take the new generation of flying intensive care units on the Airbus A380 in use on a patient transport on a Lufthansa flight from Johannesburg to Frankfurt.

The Patient Transport Compartment (PTC), a flying intensive care unit, is developed by Lufthansa Tecknik and LH Medical Service and can now also be built into Airbus A380 aircrafts to be used on long-haul routes.

The use of the PTC can be a very cost-effective alternative to ambulance airplanes. Using an intensive care unit when possible instead of an ambulance airplane is often cheaper. Lufthansa has aircrafts specially prepared for these intensive care units and can therefore change flights, when SOS International orders a PTC transport. It is of course only possible for SOS International to make use of these intensive care units when medical and logistic conditions make it possible.

The large airplanes from Lufthansa, i.e. Airbus 380, 340 and 330 and Boing 747, prepared for the PTC, have routes from/to Munich and Frankfurt, so the patients must continue the repatriation with an ambulance airplane from these destinations to the final European destination. The airplane change normally takes place wing-by-wing, i.e. the small ambulance plane is allowed to park close to the very large aircrafts. Although it seems inconvenient to change flight during a trip, this should be compared with ambulance flights having several ground stops for fueling.

Medical Escort Doctor from SOS International Hanns Reich, an anesthesiologist, escorted the patient on the first flight with the Airbus A380 and explains, “it was exciting to be the first to test a new installation together with a PTC-crew member. The ventilator, the infusions pumps, the monitors etc. all functioned as intended. The size of the PTC gives excellent working conditions with the patient placed in the correct height and seats for the escorting crew appropriate placed for monitoring the patient means that we can provide the best possible medical care during the repatriation. The Lufthansa PTC crew-member is fully aware of the conditions of having a patient on board and they know the exact position of all equipment, medicines and other supplies which contributes to a safe repatriation for the patient”.