Case Study: Air Medical Evacuation Flight Mission

Early on an October morning, precisely at 05:40 a.m., Redstar Aviation received a distress call through its emergency call center. The call reported a Kanuni drillship staff member who had suffered a severe head injury, resulting in a 14 cm wound from a fall off a bunk bed. Upon receiving this critical mission, Redstar Aviation swiftly sprang into action, initiating an internal Medevac Chain of Communication Plan and promptly commencing all necessary preparations.

Redstar Aviation’s flight crew departed from their respective stations at 05:47 and headed to Istanbul Atatürk International Airport. They allocated the second vehicle to the medical team to minimize any potential delays and expedite the flight preparations. Concurrently, flight crew maintained continuous communication with the operations team, ensuring real- time updates on the conditions and situation, including:

• ?The flight crew coordinated with the maintenance team to prepare the helicopter for timely deployment in front of the hangar.
• Meteorological conditions and NOTAMs were closely assessed.
• Weather conditions at the landing area were evaluated by engaging in communication with the Kanuni Crew to assure safe operations.

Given that the prevailing meteorological conditions were at the threshold of Visual Flight Rules (VFR), contact with Istanbul Atatürk Airport Air Traffic Control (ATC) was established via phone to confirm the following:

• Securing permission for take-off under VFR conditions due to the patient's critical condition and the existing meteorological limitations.
• Obtaining authorization and prioritization for take-offs from the front of the hangar to minimize any potential delays.
• Ensuring the flight plan was transmitted, and if it was not visible in the system, requesting engine start authorization, with an emphasis on the urgency of the ambulance mission.

Upon clearance and confirmation, it was a go for the life-saving mission.

The flight crew reached the airport at 05:58, a mere 18 minutes after receiving the initial notification. As per usual procedure, a comprehensive flight briefing with the entire crew was conducted to assure all parameters were being evaluated. Simultaneously, the medical team established contact with the drillship's medical personnel, learning that the patient had experienced a significant loss of blood but remained conscious.

Both teams promptly arrived at the hangar area, where they found the Leonardo AW139 with tail number TC-HHT readily positioned in front of the hangar. The entire maintenance team was diligently preparing the helicopter for takeoff. After meticulously reviewing the Flight Planning Documents tailored for each drillship, Redstar Aviation’s team conducted the final pre-flight checks, and initiated the engine startup at 06:05.

Following a remote assessment by Redstar Aviation’s medical team in collaboration with the on-site staff, it was determined that, in addition to the reported skin laceration, there was a possibility of intracranial bleeding, fractures, and internal bleeding in other areas. To prepare for a worst-case scenario, additional medical equipment that might be necessary was expeditiously delivered to the helicopter by all hangar personnel. With the combined efforts of all teams, the takeoff was executed successfully at 06:10 a.m.

Throughout the flight route, the flight crew encountered the weather conditions outlined in the meteorological report: partly cloudy skies with strong winds, ranging from 30 to 35 knots. Given the urgency of the patient's condition, the helicopter maintained a speed of 145 knots along the Sakarya Basin route, ensuring that the helicopter's operational limits were not exceeded. The safe landing on the Kanuni drillship was achieved at 07:24.

Upon landing, the medical team proceeded to the ship's infirmary, where the patient was under observation, thankfully equipped with medical tools and a trauma board. Through handover, Redstar Aviation’s medics gathered information about the patient's condition and the administered treatment from the ship's physician.

The patient, a British citizen, had their vascular access opened, had already received fluid and antibiotic treatment, and had the initial head bleeding and cuts attended to with bandages. Subsequently, the patient was carefully placed on the trauma board and transported to the helicopter with the assistance of the ship's crew where Redstar’s Crew departed at 07:31.

Throughout the journey, the medical team continued to provide fluid therapy, closely monitoring the patient's condition. While wind conditions posed challenges for the helicopter's speed on the departure route, they worked to their advantage during the return journey. Leveraging the tailwind effect, they completed the one-hour flight, landing at Istanbul Atatürk Airport at 08:31, in close proximity to the waiting ground ambulance. The engine was turned off at 08:35.

With the successful and expedient delivery of the patient to the ground ambulance team in a healthy and stable condition, our off-shore support for the medical evacuation mission concluded safely and swiftly, thanks to the exceptional efforts of all Redstar Aviation teams involved.

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