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102-705: The airline was established in 1934 by Viggo Widerøe , a notable Norwegian aviator, and was engaged in various general aviation activities in its early days. In 1936, Widerøe started scheduled seaplane flights and, from 1940, also ambulance flights. During the 1940s and 1950s, the airline increased its seaplane routes and established a fleet based on de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter and Noorduyn Norseman aircraft. From 1968, Widerøe started flying to STOLports in northern and western Norway using DHC-6 Twin Otters , and later also with Dash 7 aircraft . In 1989, Widerøe bought Norsk Air and started services from Sandefjord. During

204-462: A business enterprise, or funded by public donations. It may also be reasonable to differentiate between dedicated aircraft and those with multiple purposes and roles. Finally, it is reasonable to differentiate by the type of aircraft used, including rotary-wing , fixed-wing , or very large aircraft. The military role in civilian air ambulance operations is described in the History section. Each of

306-689: A close regional partner of SAS. In July 2023, Norwegian Air Shuttle announced a deal to acquire Widerøe for 1.125 billion  kr ( US$ 104 million ), which was finalised in January 2024. Public service obligation services to regional airports make up slightly less than half of Widerøe's operations. The remaining services are to primary airports in northern Norway, and services from Sandefjord and Bergen to other primary airports, and some international services from Oslo , Sandefjord, Kristiansand , Stavanger , Bergen , and Trondheim . Widerøe's operations are focused on point-to-point transit , although

408-468: A combination of these roles. In almost all cases, the government provides guidelines to hospitals and EMS systems to control operating costs—and may specify operating procedures in some level of detail to limit potential liability. However, the government almost always takes a 'hands-off' approach to the actual running of the system, relying instead on local managers with subject matter (physicians and aviation executives) expertise. Ontario's ORNGE program and

510-692: A consideration in some contexts, in the United States, the primary measure of effectiveness is patient outcomes. Improvements in ground ambulance prehospital care have created uncertainty as to whether helicopter emergency medical services transport is associated with better patient outcomes compared with ground transportation. A U.S. study using 2014 data found that after adjusting for age, Injury Severity Score, and gender, trauma patients who were transferred by helicopter were 57.0% less likely to die than those transferred by ground ambulance (95% CI 0.41 to 0.44, p<0.0001). A retrospective review study reached

612-622: A great deal of experience in piloting their aircraft because the conditions of air ambulance flights are often more challenging than regular non-emergency flight services. After a spike in air ambulance crashes in the United States in the 1990s, the U.S. government and the Commission on Air Medical Transportation Systems ( CAMTS ) stepped up the accreditation and air ambulance flight requirements, ensuring that all pilots, personnel, and aircraft meet much higher standards than previously required. The resulting CAMTS accreditation, which applies only in

714-684: A higher level of care at the scene of a trauma and faster transport to a trauma center. They can also provide critical care when transporting patients from community hospitals to trauma centers. Air ambulance transport is expensive, and if utilised poorly is therefore not cost effective. When inappropriately deployed to a patient close to a hospital, an air ambulance may add delay to the patient reaching hospital. In research from 1996, air ambulance services in England and Wales demonstrated no evidence of improvement in vehicle response times (i.e. time from 999 call to an ambulance vehicle being on-scene with

816-649: A limited number of services also connecting to two of the three primary airports in Finnmark— Alta and Kirkenes . Between Tromsø and Bodø, Widerøe serves six airports, of which two connect to Tromsø and all to Bodø. South of Bodø, there are six airports in Helgeland and Namdalen , which are all connected to Bodø and Trondheim Airport, Værnes. In Sogn og Fjordane and Sunnmøre , Widerøe connects four airports to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen and Bergen Airport, Flesland. Widerøe's main domestic hauling between primary airports

918-966: A local business or even a multi-national company may choose to fund local air ambulance service as a goodwill or public relations gesture. Examples of this are common in the European Union , where in London the Virgin Corporation previously donated to the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, and in Germany and the Netherlands a large number of the 'Christoph' air ambulance operations are actually funded by ADAC , Germany's largest automobile club and DRF Luftrettung. In Australia and New Zealand , many air ambulance helicopter operations are sponsored by

1020-421: A non-medically equipped and staffed aircraft simply transports patients without care in flight. Military organizations and NATO refer to the former as medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and to the latter as casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) . Air Traffic Control (ATC) grants special treatment to air ambulance operations, much like a ground ambulance using lights and a siren, only when they are actively operating with

1122-433: A not-for-profit mutual insurance company, specifies the circumstances in which costs for air medical services are covered. The medical personnel of a helicopter ambulance has historically been a Physician/Nurse combination, Paramedic/Nurse, or a Nurse/Nurse combination. The need for a Physician/Nurse combination has diminished with more protocol and evidence-based applications for care by nurses and other clinicians and so

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1224-575: A paramedic provided from whichever fire department rescue unit has responded. Sometimes the air ambulance may be run as a dual concern with another governmental body - for example, the Wiltshire Air Ambulance was run as a joint Ambulance Service and police unit until 2014. In other cases, the paramedic staffs the aircraft full-time, but has a dual function. In the case of the Maryland State Police, for example,

1326-430: A patient. When this happens, air ambulance aircraft take the call sign MEDEVAC (formerly LIFEGUARD) and receive priority handling in the air and on the ground. As with many Emergency Medical Service (EMS) innovations, treating patients in flight originated in the military. The concept of using aircraft as ambulances is almost as old as powered flight itself. Although balloons were not used to evacuate wounded soldiers at

1428-520: A similar conclusion: "Patients transported by helicopter to an urban trauma centre ... had improved survival than those arriving by other means of transport." Patient survival is not the only possible measure of patient outcome. In the case of stroke patients, for instance, various outcome measures could be used. There are many considerations in determining whether to dispatch air medical services. Availability, distance and flight conditions are primary considerations. Even when available, an air ambulance

1530-525: A single rotor-wing aircraft based in Toronto. An important difference in the Ontario program involved the emphasis of service. "On scene" calls were taken, although less commonly, and a great deal of the initial emphasis of the program was on the interfacility transfer of critical care patients. Operating today through a private contractor ( ORNGE ), the system operates 33 aircraft stationed at 26 bases across

1632-892: A standing air ambulance system, as did Siam (Thailand). In 1928 the first formal, full-time air ambulance service was established in the Australian outback . This organization became the Royal Flying Doctor Service and still operates. In 1934, Marie Marvingt established Africa's first civil air ambulance service, in Morocco. In 1936, air ambulance services were established as part of the Highlands and Islands Medical Service to serve more remote areas of Highland Scotland . Air ambulances quickly established their usefulness in remote locations, but their role in developed areas developed more slowly. After World War II ,

1734-827: A typical paramedic, so medical control permits them to exercise more medical decision-making latitude. Assessment skills tend to be considerably higher, and, particularly on inter-facility transfers, permit the inclusion of functions such as reading x-rays and interpretation of lab results. This allows for planning, consultation with supervising physicians, and issuing contingency orders in case they are required during flight. Some systems operate almost entirely off-line, using protocols for almost all procedures and only resorting to on-line medical control when protocols have been exhausted. Some air ambulance operations have full-time, on-site medical directors with pertinent backgrounds (e.g., emergency medicine); others have medical directors who are only available by pager. For those systems operating on

1836-422: A wider coverage area than a land ambulance. This makes them particularly useful in sparsely-populated rural areas. Air medical services have a particular advantage for major trauma injuries. The controversial theory of the golden hour suggests that major trauma patients should be transported as quickly as possible to a specialist trauma center . Therefore, medical responders in a helicopter can provide both

1938-410: Is a specially outfitted helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft that transports injured or sick people in a medical emergency or over distances or terrain impractical for a conventional ground ambulance . Fixed-wing aircraft are also more often used to move patients over long distances and for repatriation from foreign countries. These and related operations are called aeromedical . In some circumstances,

2040-425: Is an increasing trend as state health services agencies address the issues surrounding the safety of emergency medical services flights . Some examples are the states of Colorado, New Jersey, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington. According to the rationale used to justify the state of Washington's adoption of the accreditation requirements, requiring accreditation of air ambulance services provides assurance that

2142-597: Is from its base at Sandefjord Airport, Torp. Services are provided up to five times per day to Trondheim, Stavanger and Bergen, as well as seasonal services to Bodø and Tromsø. In Northern Norway, Widerøe operates some services connecting primary airports, including the links from Tromsø to Alta, Hammerfest , Kirkenes and Vadsø Airport , and connecting Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes to Tromsø, Bodø and Trondheim. International services are provided to and from five Norwegian airports to seven foreign airports in Sweden, Denmark and

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2244-458: Is not always the faster choice in comparison to ground ambulances. Ground ambulances are more numerous and more ubiquitous, so will often be closer to the scene. Ground ambulances can depart their base almost immediately, while air medical services must complete preflight routines prior to departure. A nearby suitable landing site may not be available due to trees, wires, etc. Air medical services tend to have an advantage where ground access routes to

2346-499: Is one pilot and two medical crew is: "3 to go, 1 to say 'NO'". If one flight member is not comfortable with the flight for whatever reason, the flight is cancelled. Some have questioned the safety of air medical services. While the number of crashes may be increasing, the number of programs and use of services has also increased. Factors associated with fatal crashes of medical transport helicopters include flying at night and during bad weather, and postcrash fires. An air ambulance

2448-482: Is sometimes better to wait for air medical services with a specialized team to transport a patient even though a local land ambulance and an ad hoc local medical team may be able to transfer a patient from a remote hospital to definitive care faster than air ambulance. In the United States, insurance coverage may be a factor. For example, the Coverage Policy Manual for Arkansas Blue Cross BlueShield,

2550-533: Is the first and only airline in the world to operate every single variant of the Dash 8 simultaneously, and is one of the few airlines to ever operate all variants of the Dash 8, as well as the older DHC-6 Twin Otter and Dash 7. In January 2017, Widerøe announced it had signed a contract with Embraer for up to 15 new Embraer E2-E190 jets, with firm orders for three E190-E2 aircraft and purchase rights on 12 more jets from

2652-402: Is the single most important factor to be considered when deciding whether to transport a patient by helicopter. Weather, air traffic patterns, and distances (such as from the trauma scene to closest level 1 trauma centre) must also be considered. Another reason for cancelling a flight is based on the comfort of the flight crew with the flight. The general rule of safety is upon the crew, when there

2754-598: The Antarctic with the goal to take aerial photography of the continent's coast. About 80,000 square kilometres (31,000 sq mi) were covered. In 1937, a personal tragedy struck as Arild Widerøe and other family members lost their lives in an air accident at the Port of Oslo . Two years later, civil aviation was put on hold due to hardships with supply of fuel. Nonetheless, Widerøe provided flight training for exiled Finns during their Winter War of 1939. In 1940, Norway

2856-470: The Korean and Vietnam wars. Later, helicopters were introduced to civilian health care, especially for shorter distances, in and around large cities: transporting paramedics or specialist doctors as needed and transporting patients to hospitals, especially for major trauma cases. Fixed-wing aircraft remained in use for long-distance medical transport. Air medical services can travel faster and operate in

2958-552: The Learjet 35 and 36 , Learjet 31 , King Air 90 , King Air 200 , Pilatus PC-12 & PC-24 , and Piper Cheyenne . Due to the configuration of the medical crew and patient compartments, these aircraft are normally configured to only transport one patient but some can be configured to transport two patients if so needed. Additionally, helicopters have stricter weather minimums that they can operate in and commonly do not fly at altitudes over 10,000 feet above sea level. Beginning in

3060-470: The Norsk Aero Klubb . On 19 January 1934, Viggo Widerøe founded the company Widerøe's Flyveselskap along with his brother Arild Widerøe and Einar Isdahl. They raised 25,000  kr and Viggo went to the United States, where he bought a Waco cabin biplane that he flew home himself. Postal services started on the 18. June on the route Oslo – Kristiansand – Stavanger – Haugesund, making Viggo

3162-678: The Norwegian Intelligence Service , as a part of the Cold War , and was in charge of a military aviation school at Hønefoss Airport, Eggemoen from 1950 to 1952. He was decorated with the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1954, and Mount Widerøe in Antarctica was named after him. On the other hand, Viggo never made much money from starting the company. He was in debt until the 1980s, and by

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3264-611: The Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service and received a pilot's licence the following year. He became a conscript pilot for the RNNAS until 1 January 1928, when he was appointed officer. Widerøe took his civilian pilot's licence on 13 June 1930 with Norske Luftruter and worked for the company until the end of summer of 1930. Two years later, Viggo Widerøe bought John Strandrud's shares in Rundflyvning , that

3366-664: The Second World War . The first use of medevac with helicopters was the evacuation of three British pilot combat casualties by a US Army Sikorsky R-4 in Burma during WW2 , and the first dedicated use of helicopters by U.S. forces occurred during the Korean War , between 1950 and 1953. The French used light helicopters in the First Indochina War . While popularly depicted as simply removing casualties from

3468-744: The Siege of Paris in 1870, air evacuation was experimented with during the First World War . The first recorded British ambulance flight took place in 1917 in Ottoman Empire when a soldier in the Camel Corps who had been shot in the ankle was flown to hospital in a de Havilland DH9 in 45 minutes. First Recorded Aeromedical Evacuation in the British Army The same journey by land would have taken some 3 days to complete. In

3570-944: The United States Air Force , the German Luftwaffe , and the British Royal Air Force . The Swedish National Air Medevac - SNAM is an exception to the military only rule where the system is owned by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap and the 737-800 aircraft is provided under contract when so required by Scandinavian Airlines. Each operates aircraft staffed by physicians, nurses, and corpsmen/technicians, and each can provide long-distance transport with full medical support to dozens of patients simultaneously. However, in recent years, exceptions to

3672-652: The Westpac Bank . In these cases, the operation may vary but is the result of a carefully negotiated agreement between government, EMS, hospitals, and the donor. In most cases, while the sponsor receives advertising exposure in exchange for funding, they take a 'hands-off' approach to daily operations, relying instead on subject matter specialists. In some cases, air ambulance services may be provided by means of voluntary charitable fundraising, as opposed to government funding, or they may receive limited government subsidy to supplement local donations. Some countries, such as

3774-520: The "military-only" rule have grown with the need to quickly transport patients to facilities that provide higher levels of care or to repatriate individuals. Air medical companies use both large and small fixed-wing aircraft configured to provide levels of care that can be found in Trauma centres for individuals who subscribe to their own health insurance or affiliated travel insurance and protection plans. In most jurisdictions, air ambulance pilots must have

3876-526: The 1920s several services, both official and unofficial, started up in various parts of the world. Aircraft were still primitive at the time, with limited capabilities, and the effort received mixed reviews. Exploration of the idea continued, however, and France and the United Kingdom used fully organized air ambulance services during the African and Middle Eastern Colonial Wars of the 1920s. In 1920,

3978-590: The 1990s, Widerøe replaced all its aircraft with Dash 8 aircraft; in the 2000s it was bought by the SAS Group and took over SAS Commuter 's operations in northern Norway. In 2010, Widerøe took over regional SAS services in western Norway. In 2013, SAS Group sold 80% of the shares to WF Holding, an investment company controlled by Torghatten ASA , and in June 2016 the remaining 20% of the shares were transferred to WF Holding, ending SAS ownership of Widerøe, albeit still as

4080-635: The 1990s, he only had shares for NOK 3,000. After retirement, Viggo remained in Oslo during the summer, but spent his winters in L'Alfàs del Pi in Spain. He died in January 2002 in Oslo. Air ambulance Air medical services are the use of aircraft, including both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters to provide various kinds of urgent medical care, especially prehospital, emergency and critical care to patients during aeromedical evacuation and rescue operations. During World War I , air transport

4182-399: The 1990s, the number of air ambulance crashes in the United States, mostly involving helicopters, began to climb. By 2005, this number had reached a record high. Crash rates from 2000 to 2005 more than doubled the previous five year's rates. To some extent, these numbers had been deemed acceptable, as it was understood that the very nature of air ambulance operations meant that, because a life

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4284-661: The British, while suppressing the " Mad Mullah " in Somaliland , used an Airco DH.9A fitted out as an air ambulance. It carried a single stretcher under a fairing behind the pilot. The French evacuated over 7,000 casualties during that period. By 1936, an organized military air ambulance service evacuated wounded from the Spanish Civil War for medical treatment in Nazi Germany ; this service continued during

4386-456: The CQC together ensuring fundraising, air and clinical operations are in line with national regulation and best practice. The code goes further with an expectation of mutual support and working within its policy and best practice guides. The nature of the air operation frequently determines the type of medical control required. In most cases, an air ambulance staffer is considerably more skilled than

4488-656: The Embraer E2 family. The airline is the first operator of the E190-E2 aircraft. The aircraft is Widerøe's first jet aircraft, after previously operating an all-turboprop fleet. In April 2018, Wideroe received its first Embraer E190-E2. The delivery was the first E2 aircraft to be delivered to an airline. It was handed over to Wideroe by Embraer in a large ceremony, with both Embraer and Wideroe staff as well as media present. Its first revenue flight occurred on 24 April 2018. The Dash 8-100, Dash 8-200 and Dash 8-300 can operate on

4590-466: The European Union, almost all air ambulance service is on a fee-for-service basis, except for systems that operate by private subscription. Many jurisdictions have a mix of operation types. Fee-for-service operators are generally responsible for their own organization but may have to meet government licensing requirements. Rega of Switzerland is an example of such a service. In some cases,

4692-569: The Franco-German model, the physician is almost always physically present, and medical control is not an issue. Most aircraft used as air ambulances, with the exception of charter aircraft and some military aircraft, are equipped for advanced life support and have interiors that reflect this. The challenges in most air ambulance operations, particularly those involving helicopters, are the high ambient noise levels and limited amounts of working space, both of which create significant issues for

4794-643: The German system in 1983 when Christophorus 1 entered service at Innsbruck. Also in the year 1975 Hans Burghart, one of the inventor of the civilian air rescue in Germany, presented at one Academic conference in the US the concept "Rescue Helicopters in Primary and Secondary Missions" which had impact for the aviation training at Fort Rucker , Alabama . The first civilian, hospital-based medical helicopter program in

4896-494: The John S. Dunn Helistop, one of the busiest helipads in the world, with space for four helicopters. A final area of distinction is the operation of large, generally fixed-wing air ambulances. In the past, the infrequency of civilian demand for such a service confined such operations to the military, which requires them to support overseas combat operations. Military organizations capable of this type of specialized operation include

4998-858: The Polish Lotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe (LPR) are examples of this type of operating system. The Polish LPR is a national system covering the entire country and funded by the government through the Ministry of Health but run independently, there is no independent HEMS operator in Poland . In North East Ohio, including Cleveland , the Cuyahoga County -owned MetroHealth Medical Center uses its Metro Life Flight to transport patients to Metro's level I trauma and burn unit. There are 5 helicopters for North East Ohio and, in addition, Metro Life Flight has one fixed-wing aircraft. In

5100-780: The Saskatchewan government in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, established the first civilian air ambulance in North America. The Saskatchewan government had to consider remote communities and great distances in providing health care to its citizens. The Saskatchewan Air Ambulance service continues to be active as of 2023. J. Walter Schaefer founded the first air ambulance service in the U.S., in 1947, in Los Angeles. The Schaefer Air Service operated as part of Schaefer Ambulance Service . Two research programs were implemented in

5202-559: The U.K., use a mix of such systems. In Scotland, the parliament has voted to fund air ambulance service directly, through the Scottish Ambulance Service. In England and Wales, however, the service is funded on a charitable basis via a number of local charities for each region covered. Great strides have been made in the UK, with the 'Association of Air Ambulance (AAA)'. This organization is widely credited for having created

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5304-474: The U.S. to assess the impact of medical helicopters on mortality and morbidity in the civilian arena. Project CARESOM was established in Mississippi in 1969. Three helicopters were purchased through a federal grant and located strategically in the north, central, and southern areas of the state. Upon termination of the grant, the program was considered a success and each of the three communities were given

5406-540: The United Kingdom, the Scottish Ambulance Service operates two helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft twenty-four hours per day. In some jurisdictions, cost is a major consideration, and the presence of dedicated air ambulances is simply not practical. In these cases, the aircraft may be operated by another government or quasi-government agency and made available to EMS for air ambulance service when required. In southern New South Wales, Australia,

5508-485: The United Kingdom. From Sandefjord and Trondheim, Widerøe connects to Scandinavian Airlines' hub at Copenhagen Airport . From Oslo, Widerøe operates four daily services to Göteborg Landvetter Airport , as well as summer routes to Visby Airport and Bornholm Airport . From Bergen and Stavanger, Widerøe serves Aberdeen Airport . From Bergen Widerøe fly to Liverpool John Lennon Airport and London Heathrow and from Stavanger; Newcastle Airport . In 2010, Widerøe took over

5610-540: The United States began operation in 1972. Flight For Life Colorado began with a single Alouette III helicopter, based at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver, Colorado. In Ontario, Canada, the air ambulance program began in 1977, and featured a paramedic-based system of care, with the presence of physicians or nurses being relatively unusual. The system, operated by the Ontario Ministry of Health, began with

5712-517: The United States, includes the requirement for an air ambulance company to own and operate its own aircraft. Some air ambulance companies, realizing it is virtually impossible to have the correct medicalized aircraft for every mission, instead charter aircraft based on the mission-specific requirements. While in principle CAMTS accreditation is voluntary, a number of government jurisdictions require companies providing medical transportation services to have CAMTS accreditation to be licensed to operate. This

5814-685: The airline essentially feeds medium-haul and international airlines. Widerøe has interlining agreements and participates in EuroBonus for international flights. The company's head offices are in Bodø , although it retains a large administrative center in Oslo and a smaller office in Mosjøen . The main bases are Sandefjord, Bodø , Tromsø , Bergen, and Oslo. Widerøe also has a technical base in Florø . Widerøe

5916-634: The battlefield (which they did), helicopters in the Korean War also moved critical patients to hospital ships after initial emergency treatment in field hospitals. Knowledge and expertise of use of air ambulances evolved parallel to the aircraft themselves. By 1969, in Vietnam , the use of specially trained medical corpsmen and helicopter air ambulances led U.S. researchers to determine that servicemen wounded in battle had better rates of survival than motorists injured on California freeways. This inspired

6018-415: The company began an aerial photography operation. In 1953, the company chose to differentiate and started production of emergency rafts; refrigerated garages in aluminium; and thermoelements for industry. In 1954, the company received a subcontract from Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), the successor of DNL, to operate a seaplane route from Tromsø via Alta, Hammerfest, and Kirkenes to Vadsø. For this route,

6120-430: The company bought its first de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter. On 1 July 1958, the company changed its name back to Widerøe's Flyveselskap A/S. In 1969, Per Bergsland replaced Viggo Widerøe as CEO. In 1970, the company was split in two: the aerial photography division was sold to competitor Fjellanger, and the new company Fjellanger Widerøe was created. Scheduled services remained with Widerøe. The airline's last seaplane

6222-517: The company's Bogstad workshop and Birger Hønningstad started a joint venture in which Widerøe built Hønningstad Norge aircraft. Following the outbreak of World War II , all pilots were conscripted into the military and there was a ban on civilian aviation. In 1940, the company started air ambulance flights for the military. Following the German invasion of Norway , many of Widerøe's pilots and aircraft were flown to Mjøsa where they served as part of

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6324-475: The defence . All civilian aircraft were grounded during the occupation , and German authorities demanded that magnetos and propellers be handed in. The workshop at Bogstad was kept busy with the production of ambulance sleds for the German military. In secret, the company also started building the Hønningstad C-5 Polar ambulance aircraft at Bogstad. After the liberation of Norway in 1945, there

6426-726: The evolving Emergency Medical Services. As the concept was proven, dedicated civilian air ambulances began to appear. On November 1, 1970, the first permanent civil air ambulance helicopter, Christoph 1 , entered service at the Hospital of Harlaching , Munich, Germany. The apparent success of Christoph 1 led to a quick expansion of the concept across Germany, with Christoph 10 entering service in 1975, Christoph 20 in 1981, and Christoph 51 in 1989. As of 2007, there are about 80 helicopters named after Saint Christopher , like Christoph Europa 5 (also serving Denmark), Christoph Brandenburg or Christoph Murnau am Staffelsee . Austria adopted

6528-498: The feasibility of using military helicopters to augment existing civilian emergency medical services. These programs were highly successful at establishing the need for such services. The remaining challenge was in how such services could be operated most cost-effectively. In many cases, as agencies, branches, and departments of the civilian governments began to operate aircraft for other purposes, these aircraft were frequently pressed into service to provide cost-effective air support to

6630-499: The first experiments with the use of civilian paramedics in the world. The US military recently employed UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to provide air ambulance service during the Iraq War to military personnel and civilians. The use of military aircraft as battlefield ambulances continues to grow and develop today in a variety of countries, as does the use of fixed-wing aircraft for long-distance travel, including repatriation of

6732-501: The first person to fly a scheduled, domestic flight in Norway. In 1936, all concessions for scheduled flights were transferred to Det Norske Luftfartselskap (DNL), and Widerøe had to start again with photography, schools and charter flights. But at the same time, DNL bought 51% of Wideøe's Flyveselskap, and they were subcontracted some postal flights. In the winter of 1936–1937, Viggo attended an expedition by Lars Christensen in

6834-621: The flight paramedic is a serving State Trooper whose job is to act as the Observer Officer on a police helicopter when not required for medical emergencies. In many cases, local jurisdictions do not charge for air ambulance service, particularly for emergency calls. However, the cost of providing air ambulance services is considerable and many, including government-run operations, charge for service. Organizations such as service aircraft charter companies, hospitals, and some private-for-profit EMS systems generally charge for service. Within

6936-473: The ground responder's ability to determine whether the patient's condition warrants air medical transport. Protocols and training must be developed to ensure appropriate triage criteria are applied. Excessively stringent criteria can prevent rapid care and transport of trauma victims; relaxed criteria can result in the patient being unnecessarily exposed to the potential dangers of dangerous weather conditions or other aviation-related risks. Crew and patient safety

7038-409: The helicopter that responds as an air ambulance is actually operated by the local hydroelectric utility, with the New South Wales Ambulance Service providing paramedics, as required. In some cases, local EMS provides the flight paramedic to the aircraft operator as-needed. In the case of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the helicopters are brush fire choppers also configured as air ambulances with

7140-399: The hospital are congested and for locations more distant from hospitals. In some situations, it may be desirable to dispatch a ground ambulance that can arrive on the scene first to provide immediate patient care, and an air ambulance to transport the patient(s) to a trauma center. It also should be borne in mind that faster may not always be better. In the context of interhospital transport, it

7242-428: The improvement of government standards and CAMTS accreditation. Whilst some air ambulances do have effective methods of funding, in England, they remain almost entirely charity funded, as improved cost-benefit ratios are generally achieved with land-based attendance and transfers. Health outcomes, for example from London's Helicopter Emergency Medical Service , remain uncertain. Although cost-effectiveness may be

7344-597: The increased number of car accidents in 1979 on highways , the Yugoslavian government made a decision to buy new or redistribution of use of old helicopters. Air ambulance service, sometimes called Aeromedical Evacuation or simply Medevac , is provided by a variety of different sources in different places in the world. There are a number of reasonable methods of differentiating types of air ambulance services. These include military / civilian models and services that are government -funded, fee-for-service, donated by

7446-503: The many short runway airports in Norway, on which Widerøe is the main operator. Widerøe was the launch customer of Dash 8-100 extended service program. The program extends the economic life of the turboprop by 50% to 120,000 flight cycles. Widerøe plans to replace most of its Dash-8 aircraft by 2030. EuroBonus frequent flyer points can be earned on all international routes and certain commercial domestic routes. Points can be redeemed on international routes and domestic routes not part of

7548-489: The medical profession. Other U.S. states require either CAMTS accreditation or a demonstrated equivalent, such as Rhode Island, and Texas, which has adopted CAMTS' Accreditation Standards (Sixth Edition, October 2004) as its own. In Texas, an operator not wishing to become CAMTS accredited must submit to an equivalent survey by state auditors who are CAMTS-trained. Virginia and Oklahoma have also adopted CAMTS accreditation standards as their state licensing standards. While

7650-735: The opportunity to continue the helicopter operation. Only the one located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi did so, and it was therefore established as the first civilian air medical program in the United States. The second program, the Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) system, was established in Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio in 1969. This was an experiment by the Department of Transportation to study

7752-644: The original intent of CAMTS was to provide an American standard, air ambulance services in a number of other countries, including three in Canada and one in South Africa, have voluntarily submitted themselves to CAMTS accreditation. In the UK, the AAA has a Code of Conduct that binds one of the most regulated areas of operation together. It brings the Fundraising Standards Board, CAA / EASA and

7854-509: The patient) for air ambulance attended patients compared to those attended by a land ambulance. The same review found patient did not arrive at hospital any quicker when attended by an air ambulance. When the same authors looked at health outcomes in Cornwall and London they found no evidence that the attendance of an air ambulance (HEMS) service improved survival in trauma patients. Effective use of helicopter services for trauma depends on

7956-529: The political climate that made the helicopter industry and National Health Service recognise the enormous contribution charities make to trauma care in the United Kingdom. In 2013, the AAA published the "Framework for a High Performing Air Ambulance Service" which details many of the developments from 2008 to 2013. In recent years, the service has moved towards the physician-paramedic model of care. This has necessitated some charities commissioning clinical governance services, however many air ambulances operate under

8058-431: The primary means of transportation between communities is by boat. Early in aviation history, many of these communities began to rely on civilian "bush" pilots, who fly small aircraft and transport supplies, mail, and visiting doctors or nurses. Bush pilots probably performed the first civilian air ambulance trips, albeit on an ad hoc basis—but clearly, a need for these services existed. In the early 1920s, Sweden established

8160-423: The province, performing both interfacility transfers and on-scene responses in support of ground-based EMS. Today, across the world, the presence of civilian air ambulances has become commonplace and is seen as a much-needed support for ground-based EMS systems. In other countries of Europe, like SFR Yugoslavia , first air ambulance appeared in the 1980s. Most of the fleet was previously used in military service. With

8262-660: The provision of ongoing care. While equipment tends to be high-level and very conveniently grouped, it may not be possible to perform some assessment procedures, such as chest auscultation , while in flight. In some types of aircraft, the aircraft's design means that the entire patient is not physically accessible in flight. Additional issues occur with respect to pressurization of the aircraft. Not all aircraft used as air ambulances in all jurisdictions have pressurized cabins and those that do typically tend to be pressurized to only 10,000 feet above sea level. These pressure changes require advanced knowledge by flight staff with respect to

8364-546: The public service obligation. [REDACTED] Media related to Widerøe at Wikimedia Commons Viggo Wider%C3%B8e Viggo Widerøe (13 August 1904 – 8 January 2002) was a Norwegian aviator and entrepreneur . He founded Widerøe's Flyveselskap , Norway's third largest airline, in 1934. The airline is still in operation today. Viggo Widerøe was born in Kristiania as a son of the mercantile agent Theodor Widerøe (1868–1947) and Carla Johanne Launer (1875–1971). He

8466-674: The regional routes previously operated by SAS in Western Norway; these connect Kristiansand and Kristiansund Airport, Kvernberget to Stavanger and Bergen, and Haugesund and Molde to Bergen. These routes will replace the SAS Fokker 50 aircraft with -300 and Q400 aircraft. In 2016 the airline was awarded a five-year contract by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications to operate 13 of Norway's Public Service Obligation routes and will start operating

8568-552: The remaining models is explored separately. This information applies to air ambulance systems performing emergency service. In almost all jurisdictions, private aircraft charter companies provide non-emergency air ambulance service on a fee-for-service basis. In some cases, governments provide air ambulance services, either directly or via a negotiated contract with a commercial service provider, such as an aircraft charter company. Such services may focus on critical care patient transport, support ground-based EMS on scenes, or may perform

8670-489: The routes in April 2017. Widerøe has codeshare agreements with the following airlines (as of February 2020): As of July 2024, Widerøe operates the following aircraft: Between 2000 and 2018, the airline operated exclusively de Havilland Canada / Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft. As of 2018, Widerøe was the world's largest operator of the Dash 8-100 series, after Piedmont Airlines retired their fleet . As of 2013, Widerøe

8772-428: The same aircraft may be used to search for missing or wanted people. Like ground ambulances, air ambulances are equipped with medical equipment vital to monitoring and treating injured or ill patients. Common equipment for air ambulances includes medications , ventilators , ECGs and monitoring units, CPR equipment, and stretchers . A medically staffed and equipped air ambulance provides medical care in flight—while

8874-429: The service meets national public safety standards. The accreditation is done by professionals who are qualified to determine air ambulance safety. In addition, compliance with accreditation standards is checked on a continual basis by the accrediting organization. Accreditation standards are periodically revised to reflect the dynamic, changing environment of medical transport, with considerable input from all disciplines of

8976-550: The specifics of aviation medicine, including changes in physiology and the behaviour of gases. There are a large variety of helicopter makes that are used for the civilian HEMS models. The commonly used types are the Bell 206 , 407 , and 429 , Eurocopter AS350 , BK117 , EC130 , EC135 , EC145 , and the Agusta Westland 109 , 169 & 139 , MD Explorer and Sikorsky S-76. Fixed-wing aircraft varieties commonly include

9078-606: The tasking ambulances services clinical governance. The AAA now publishes Best Practice Guidance on a range of operational and clinical functions and provides a code of conduct that all full members, both ambulance services and charities must uphold. Memorial Hermann Life Flight is a not-for-profit hospital-based critical care air ambulance service in Houston , Texas , USA. As of 2023, it operates six EC-145 twin-engine helicopters. The service relies on community support and fundraising efforts. Memorial Hermann Life Flight operates from

9180-548: The wounded. Currently, a NATO working group is investigating unpiloted aerial vehicles (UAVs) for casualty evacuation. The first civilian uses of aircraft as ambulances were probably incidental. In northern Canada, Australia, and in Scandinavian countries, remote, sparsely populated settlements are often inaccessible by road for months at a time, or even year-round. In some places in Scandinavia, particularly in Norway,

9282-505: Was a brother of the engineer and accelerator physicist Rolf Widerøe , and grew up at Vinderen . In 1935 he married Solveig Agnes Schrøder (1914–1989); they had the daughter Turi Widerøe . Through her, Viggo Widerøe was the father-in-law of Karl Erik Harr between 1972 and 1975. Reportedly, Viggo Widerøe decided to become an aviator already in 1910. This was one year after the start of aviation in Kristiania. In 1924, Widerøe joined

9384-549: Was at stake, air ambulances would often operate on the very edge of their safety envelopes, going on missions in conditions where no other civilian pilot would fly. As a result, nearly fifty percent of all EMS personnel deaths in the United States occur in air ambulance crashes. In 2006, the United States National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) concluded that many air ambulances crashes were avoidable, eventually leading to

9486-537: Was based in Drammen , and started as a pilot. In 1933, Viggo Widerøe established the company Widerøe & Bjørneby along with Halvor Bjørneby and bought a Simmonds Spartan . In all these companies, activity was concentrated at aerial photography , advertisement flying, air shows, demonstrations and charter passenger flights. Widerøe lay much emphasis on increasing the public interest in aviation throughout South Norway , and arranged flight shows in 1933 and 1934 through

9588-703: Was converted to ten year of prison after he held his speech of defence in German . He was transferred to Grini concentration camp in July 1941 as #352 of almost 20,000 prisoners. Another aerial pioneer Helge Skappel was imprisoned as well, and they spent prison time in Åkebergveien from October to November 1941, before being shipped to Germany via Akershus Fortress . He was imprisoned in Hamburg-Fühlsbuttel from 13 January 1942, and later three other camps in Rendsburg , Dreibergen and Dieburg until he

9690-771: Was decommissioned in 1971. In April 1980, Widerøe started an international service on behalf of SAS. Widerøe has been awarded public service obligation contracts by the Ministry of Transport and Communications to connect regional airports to primary airports. Twenty-five such airports were served in a contract running from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2012, with the company having lost the bid for services to three. The services connect smaller communities and towns to regional centers and to primary airports that provide onwards service with jet aircraft . Eight airports in Finnmark county and one in Troms county are connected to Tromsø Airport, with

9792-416: Was established on the foundations of two small aircraft operators. The first was the company Lotsberg & Skappel . The other was Widerøe & Bjørneby , which was founded by Viggo Widerøe and Halvor Bjørneby. During the winter, they stationed aircraft at mountain resorts and made revenue from flying skiers into the wilderness. Aerial advertising flights were introduced, in which a company or product name

9894-506: Was established, after he had moved to Stockholm in Sweden. In SAS, he mainly worked with headhunting people for the new company. In 1947, DNL sold its stake in Widerøe's Flyveselskap to Forenede Industrier . Viggo was headhunted to become managing director, a position he held until 1969. But he continued to also work as a pilot for the company until 1954, when he took last flight. He also flew secret reconnaissance missions in Finnmark for

9996-505: Was invaded by Germany as a part of World War II . Viggo joined Milorg , part of the Norwegian resistance. He helped young Norwegian men to flee the country to become war pilots based in foreign countries. Soon, he became a suspect in the eyes of German forces. He was arrested for espionage in May 1941, and was imprisoned at Møllergata 19 for two months. He was sentenced to death, but this

10098-665: Was liberated in March 1945. For the rest of the war, he worked as a secretary and interpreter for the American General George Patton . His wife was also involved in Norwegian resistance work. After the war, Widerøe was employed as assisting director in the Norwegian Aviation Authority from 1945 to 1946. He then became chief inspector of DNL, and then became one of the first Norwegian employees when Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)

10200-526: Was painted on an aircraft's fuselage, with a neon-light version underneath, and leaflets dropped mid-flight. On 19 February 1934, Widerøe's Flyveselskap A/S was founded by Viggo Widerøe, Einar Isdahl, and Arild Widerøe. In 1935, the company started in the cartography business. In 1937, the company made 44 flights along the coast of Antarctica , covering 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi) of coast at least 50 kilometres (31 mi) inland. These flights were ordered by Lars Christensen for cartography. During 1938,

10302-533: Was still a flight ban, and the employees at Bogstad were hired by the Royal Norwegian Air Force at Oslo Airport, Fornebu . The company received permission to fly from 2 February 1946. In 1947, Forenede Industrier bought the majority of the company. Viggo Widerøe was again hired as managing director. In 1948, the company merged with Narvik-based Polarfly , and changed its name to Widerøe's Flyveselskap & Polarfly A/S. The following year,

10404-796: Was used to provide medical evacuation – either from frontline areas or the battlefield itself. In 1928, in Australia, John Flynn founded the Flying Doctor Service (later the Royal Flying Doctor Service), to provide a wide range of medical services to civilians in remote areas; these included from routine consultations with travelling general practitioners , to air ambulance evacuations and other emergency medical services . Fixed wing military air ambulances came into regular use during World War II. Helicopters became more commonly used for such purposes during

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