Life-Guard helicopter at WFBH liftoff

[Les White]

Happened to be in the right spot to catch the chopper lifting off. It was an interesting perspective being one floor below the landing pad.

Despite how loud it is in the video it was really very very quiet with hardly any engine noise. Not at all like standing that close to a Huey. There wasn't much rotor wash either which really surprised me.

Either way, thought it was cool to see. Wanted to share.

 

[Qball]

Those pilots. doctors, EMTs, and nurses that ride in those things are very brave souls. They have an abysmal crash history (all not just Eurocopters) because of the risks they take flying in bad weather to save lives......and lives they do save no doubt. My hat is off to those folks.

 

[Chuckman]

Those pilots. doctors, EMTs, and nurses that ride in those things are very brave souls. They have an abysmal crash history (all not just Eurocopters) because of the risks they take flying in bad weather to save lives......and lives they do save no doubt. My hat is off to those folks.

It's really quite safe, MUCH safer than traditional ambulances. Definitely comes with risk, though.

 

[Toxmedic751]

The 135 is a good aircraft and we have a wonderful group of dedicated mechanics looking after us. On a side note, that is LifeGuard 10 which is based at Smith Mountain Lake. Here is my aircraft sitting on the pad at Carilion Hospital in Roanoke.

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[Schattenreiter]

I talked to the crew of the helicopter that flew my mom to Durham. The pilot was giving us the usual speech about not trying to out run him to the hospital when I looked up a noticed he had a spoon in his chest pocket. I told him "I guess you have to trust a guy who brings his own spoon" . He said " You never know when someone will offer you some ice cream". LOL

 

[Chuckman]

The 135 is a good aircraft and we have a wonderful group of dedicated mechanics looking after us. On a side note, that is LifeGuard 10 which is based at Smith Mountain Lake. Here is my aircraft sitting on the pad at Carilion Hospital in Roanoke.

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I have a little (very little) experience with the EC-145, more with the BK-117, which I loved.

 

[Toxmedic751]

I have a little (very little) experience with the EC-145, more with the BK-117, which I loved.

The BK was, and still is a proven workhorse. There are still numerous programs across the nation flying in 117s.


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[Qball]

It's really quite safe, MUCH safer than traditional ambulances. Definitely comes with risk, though.

I should have clarified my post above. I meant to say compared to conventional aircraft. The accident rate among on-demand medical helicopter operations is much higher than Part 121 and 135 operations.

In no way was my post intended to infer that medical helicopter life flights are haphazardly operated with no regard for safety.

I just meant that the nature of their missions statistically represent an unavoidable higher accident rate than other professional aircraft operations.

 

[Chuckman]

I should have clarified my post above. I meant to say compared to conventional aircraft. The accident rate among on-demand medical helicopter operations is much higher than Part 121 and 135 operations.

In no way was my post intended to infer that medical helicopter life flights are haphazardly operated with no regard for safety.

I just meant that the nature of their missions statistically represent an unavoidable higher accident rate than other professional aircraft operations.

No worries. I did not take it that way. There is a lot of people who incorrectly assume that it is more dangerous, just because it flies.

Now military helicopters, that's a whole nother story.....

 

[GymB]

Buddy of mine runs an air ambulance business, he put this sign up in one of his hangers a couple years ago. Don’t believe that he’s the first.

 

[GymB]

Not at all like standing that close to a Huey.

Huey lifts over 10k pounds, the Ec135 lifts about 3k, the EC145 gets close to 4k. 6-7k lbs is a lot of wind.

 

[Sneakymedic]

That me loading the first pt in the first EC we bought there. Next time you are there, hit me up.