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Fixed-wing configuration
Fixed-Wing Operations
Fixed-Wing Configuration
The King Air interior completed by Business Aviation, Inc. is one of the most functional and rugged fixed-wing aeromedical configurations in the nation.
While the h o s p i t a l - b a s e d helicopter concept h a s received m o s t of the a e r o m e d i c a l headlines a n d a t t e n t i o n d u r i n g the last thirteen years, its f i x e d - w i n g c o u n t e r p a r t has usually e n j o y e d m e n t i o n only in the shadows. And when mentioned, such articles often s u r r o u n d e d their c o m m e n t s by detractors such as " y e l l o w p a g e peril," defining the roulette-like m e t h o d of selecting an often u n s u s p e c t i n g air a m b u l a n c e o p e r a t o r a n d an ill-prepared airplane f r o m the t e l e p h o n e book. But in just the past few years, that i m a g e is b e g i n n i n g to change. In t w e l v e years f r o m 1969 t h r o u g h 1981, Hospital Aviation h a d c o m p i l e d records of only 12 full-time h o s p i t a l - o p e r a t e d fixed-wing a e r o m e d i c a l services. Since that time, h o w e v e r , at least 15 n e w fixed-wing services h a v e d e v e l o p e d a m o n g the n a t i o n ' s hospitals, a n d several m o r e non-hospital operators have s t r e n g t h e n e d their services. O n e such e x a m p l e is Business Aviation, Inc., 22 HOSPITAL AVIATION, JULY 1985
o p e r a t i n g in Sioux Falls, S o u t h Dakota. In fact it was the yellow p a g e s that t u r n e d this p a r t - t i m e air a m b u l a n c e o p e r a t o r into a full-fledged EMS contact, with the s u b s e q u e n t spin-off of an exciting n e w product. Keith D. Everton, President of Business Aviation has a c c u m u l a t e d 30 y e a r s of aviation experience in Sioux Falls. Today, he operates a full-service FBO a n d charter operation, which includes one of the finest avionics s h o p s in the m i d w e s t , aircraft m a i n t e n a n c e , service a n d refueling contracts for s e v e n major airlines a n d the military, a n d corporate charter o p e r a t i o n s with jet, t u r b o p r o p a n d p i s t o n - d r i v e n airplanes. "Like e v e r y other FBO in the country, we u s e d to advertise "air a m b u l a n c e " in the yellow p a g e s , " states Mr. Everton. "But a friend of m i n e h a d an incident on b o a r d his airplane - he h a d flown a patient w h o s u b s e q u e n t l y died. The case was t a k e n to court, a n d it was d e t e r m i n e d
that the o p e r a t o r did not h a v e essential medical e q u i p m e n t o n board. N e e d l e s s to say, m y friend w a s ' w i p e d out.' F r o m that day on, we n e v e r again a d v e r t i s e d in the y e l l o w pages." " T h e n nine years ago, we o b t a i n e d a contract with a local hospital with a dedicated Cessna 401 to fly n e o n a t a l flights. The neonatal mortality in o u r area was so high, the hospital w a s interested in a full-time p r o g r a m . The contract t u r n e d out so successful for the hospital, we eventually d e t e r m i n e d the hospital n e e d e d to u p g r a d e f r o m the 401. In h e a v y weather, it just w a s n ' t e n o u g h airplane." " W e r e c o m m e n d e d a King Air because we h a d o p e r a t e d t h e m for m a n y years in our 135 operation. The flight nurses b e g a n flying in the King Air w h e n the 401 was d o w n for m a i n t e n a n c e . T h e y liked the King Air so m u c h (it w a s p r e s s u r i z e d a n d a two-pilot operation) that it i n f l u e n c e d the change. T h a t h a p p e n e d four y e a r s
Fixed-Wing Operations... ago. The contract is currently flying s o m e 40 patients per m o n t h . T h e 401 is n o w a back up, a n d w e ' r e n o w exploring the feasibility of installing a balloon p u m p in a s e c o n d King Air for the h o s p i t a l . " " I t w a s the start of our current a e r o m e d i c a l p h i l o s o p h y . As the King Air w o u l d travel to different hospitals, s o m e w o u l d call us to see if we w o u l d be interested in p r o d u c i n g a m o d i f i e d aircraft for t h e m . As t i m e w e n t on, w e felt that we s h o u l d look into the possibility of d e v e l o p i n g a f u l l y - c o n f i g u r e d aircraft, a n d m a r k e t it nationally. We started this project a couple of years ago, to go after the STC a p p r o v a l , a n d really started to m a r k e t the aircraft this past J a n u a r y . " W h e n Business Aviation d e c i d e d to m a r k e t their concept o n a national scale, t h e y t h o u g h t that m a y b e t h e y n e e d e d to d e v e l o p a fancier product. T h e y tried several loading configurations a n d tracking m e c h a n i s m s to m o v e the stretchers into the aircraft, but w h e n it w a s all done, the c o m p a n y decided to go back to basics - to their original basic design, w h i c h h a d b e e n well a c c e p t e d b y the n u r s e s a n d EMS people. " I t ' s trouble free a n d has n e v e r h a d a p r o b l e m , " c o m m e n t e d Mr. Everton. " W e ' v e k e p t e v e r y t h i n g v e r y simple o n the airplane - with few m o v i n g parts to go w r o n g - d e v e l o p e d a r o u n d a simple, relatively i n e x p e n s i v e design." " W e h a v e a ' g e t back to basics' p h i l o s o p h y : s o m e b o d y ' s got to p a y for it, so it h a d better be affordable. There are v e r y few g o v e r n m e n t grants, a n d hospitals are on an austerity p r o g r a m , a n d d o n ' t w a n t to subsidize a n y t h i n g a n y m o r e . The price h a s to be realistic to the p o i n t w h e r e the insurance c o m p a n i e s d o n ' t h a v e a p r o b l e m with it, a n d w h e r e the u n i n s u r e d patient can p a y for it. If the patient c a n ' t pay, t h e n at least it's a r e a s o n a b l e price for the h o s p i t a l . " The c o m p a n y ' s product, then, is a c o m p l e t e o v e r h a u l a n d medical configuration of a Beechcraft Series 90 King air t u r b o p r o p . The configuration includes n e w engines, n e w p r o p s , a 5,000 h o u r airframe inspection, n e w de-icing boots, avionics, a n d of course, paint. The avionics installation includes color radar, Loran-C (for n a v i g a t i o n to little airports that h a v e no navaids) dual t r a n s p o n d e r s , a r a d a r altimeter, u p g r a d e collins n a v / c o m m s y s t e m s , 24 HOSPITAL AVIATION, JULY 1985
a n d e v e n a voice-activated a i r - t o - g r o u n d t e l e p h o n e for h a n d s - f r e e hospital c o m m u n i c a t i o n s . The medical configuration includes an S T C ' d litter a n d seat installation, specially installed medical e q u i p m e n t h a r d w a r e , a n d significant b u t simple d o o r modifications to p e r m i t easy p a t i e n t loading. The medical gear includes dual air p u m p s , d u a l v a c u u m p u m p s , 150 cubic foot o x y g e n cylinder, dual 115 volt AC inverters (separate f r o m aircraft inverters) a n d
28 volt DC p o w e r for isolettes. The craft c o m e s with r e m o v a b l e seat cushions for easy cleaning, a n d e v e n contains special polarized w i n d o w s . There are 3,000 individual p a r t s u s e d in the modification of our air a m b u l a n c e cabin. The stretcher a n d a t t e n d a n t seat bases h a v e m o r e t h a n 1,000 individual welds. S o m e 4,000 feet of electrical wiring is a d d e d to r u n the medical e q u i p m e n t . The finished p r o d u c t requires 1,200 m a n - h o u r s of labor.
Fixed-Wing Operations... " T h e r e ' s a r e a s o n for every n u t a n d bolt in that airplane c o n v e r s i o n , " c o n t i n u e d Mr. Everton. " W e h a v e a p r o v e n p r o d u c t - one that's e v o l v e d from nine years of experience. With the d o o r modification, we can load a stretcher at a n y angle b e t w e e n 0 a n d 43 degrees. With p r e v i o u s door m o d s , the d o o r was subject to bending. With the n e w m o d , w e ' v e h a d no t r o u b l e . " " W e p r e v i o u s l y h a d trouble with pilots injuring their backs during stretcher loading, b u t with a modified belt s y s t e m we h a v e n ' t h a d a n y b o d y hurt their back. All it does is force y o u to use y o u r knees, a n d it w o r k s great." " T h e price (May 1st) is $490,000 for the total airplane, including c o n f i g u r a t i o n , " states A n n Krier, Vice President of M a r k e t i n g for Business Aviation. " D e l i v e r y is two m o n t h s after contract signature. We selected the King Air b e c a u s e of its safety record o v e r 13 million h o u r s of flying time. Its Pratt & W h i t n e y engines are e x t r e m e l y reliable. Their free turbines p r o v i d e better cold w e a t h e r starts, as the starter m o t o r d o e s n ' t h a v e to turn the propellor gearbox prior to ignition. The King Air's reverse pitch p r o p s a n d big, beefy l a n d i n g gear are great for short field landings. The craft will operate out of 96 % of airports in the United States." In explaining just w h a t the c o m p a n y offers, Ms. Krier outlined c o m p a n y m a r k e t i n g options of (1) direct aircraft sales, (2) contractual aircraft leases f r o m o n e to five years, or (3) p l a c e m e n t of the aircraft without a contract on a m o n t h l y basis. Each option is available as a complete, t u r n - k e y operation. But the deal d o e s n ' t stop after the sale. " W h e n the aircraft is delivered, we send a crew out to give g r o u n d school to the hospital, pilots, a n d p r o v i d e a training r e p r e s e n t a t i v e to stay with the airplane to e n s u r e a s m o o t h transition of the aircraft into their p r o g r a m s " c o n c l u d e d Ms. Krier. " W e ' r e not i n t e r e s t e d in selling an airplane a n d walking away. We d o n ' t feel we can build future sales on that kind of p r o g r a m . " A n d the future for the dedicated a e r o m e d i c a l airplane has n e v e r b e e n better.
The K i n g A i r was selected f o r a m b u l a n c e c o n f i g u r a t i o n due to its twopatient, three attendant cabin and its rugged, short.field f l i g h t o p e r a t i o n s capability.
The K i n g A i r offers a m p l e room for a n e o n a t a l team and newborn isolette, and can even add a stretcher p a t i e n t with ease.
HOSPITAL AVIATION, JULY 1985 25
Fixed-Wing Configuration
The King Air interior completed by Business Aviation, Inc. is one of the most functional and rugged fixed-wing aeromedical configurations in the nation.
While the h o s p i t a l - b a s e d helicopter concept h a s received m o s t of the a e r o m e d i c a l headlines a n d a t t e n t i o n d u r i n g the last thirteen years, its f i x e d - w i n g c o u n t e r p a r t has usually e n j o y e d m e n t i o n only in the shadows. And when mentioned, such articles often s u r r o u n d e d their c o m m e n t s by detractors such as " y e l l o w p a g e peril," defining the roulette-like m e t h o d of selecting an often u n s u s p e c t i n g air a m b u l a n c e o p e r a t o r a n d an ill-prepared airplane f r o m the t e l e p h o n e book. But in just the past few years, that i m a g e is b e g i n n i n g to change. In t w e l v e years f r o m 1969 t h r o u g h 1981, Hospital Aviation h a d c o m p i l e d records of only 12 full-time h o s p i t a l - o p e r a t e d fixed-wing a e r o m e d i c a l services. Since that time, h o w e v e r , at least 15 n e w fixed-wing services h a v e d e v e l o p e d a m o n g the n a t i o n ' s hospitals, a n d several m o r e non-hospital operators have s t r e n g t h e n e d their services. O n e such e x a m p l e is Business Aviation, Inc., 22 HOSPITAL AVIATION, JULY 1985
o p e r a t i n g in Sioux Falls, S o u t h Dakota. In fact it was the yellow p a g e s that t u r n e d this p a r t - t i m e air a m b u l a n c e o p e r a t o r into a full-fledged EMS contact, with the s u b s e q u e n t spin-off of an exciting n e w product. Keith D. Everton, President of Business Aviation has a c c u m u l a t e d 30 y e a r s of aviation experience in Sioux Falls. Today, he operates a full-service FBO a n d charter operation, which includes one of the finest avionics s h o p s in the m i d w e s t , aircraft m a i n t e n a n c e , service a n d refueling contracts for s e v e n major airlines a n d the military, a n d corporate charter o p e r a t i o n s with jet, t u r b o p r o p a n d p i s t o n - d r i v e n airplanes. "Like e v e r y other FBO in the country, we u s e d to advertise "air a m b u l a n c e " in the yellow p a g e s , " states Mr. Everton. "But a friend of m i n e h a d an incident on b o a r d his airplane - he h a d flown a patient w h o s u b s e q u e n t l y died. The case was t a k e n to court, a n d it was d e t e r m i n e d
that the o p e r a t o r did not h a v e essential medical e q u i p m e n t o n board. N e e d l e s s to say, m y friend w a s ' w i p e d out.' F r o m that day on, we n e v e r again a d v e r t i s e d in the y e l l o w pages." " T h e n nine years ago, we o b t a i n e d a contract with a local hospital with a dedicated Cessna 401 to fly n e o n a t a l flights. The neonatal mortality in o u r area was so high, the hospital w a s interested in a full-time p r o g r a m . The contract t u r n e d out so successful for the hospital, we eventually d e t e r m i n e d the hospital n e e d e d to u p g r a d e f r o m the 401. In h e a v y weather, it just w a s n ' t e n o u g h airplane." " W e r e c o m m e n d e d a King Air because we h a d o p e r a t e d t h e m for m a n y years in our 135 operation. The flight nurses b e g a n flying in the King Air w h e n the 401 was d o w n for m a i n t e n a n c e . T h e y liked the King Air so m u c h (it w a s p r e s s u r i z e d a n d a two-pilot operation) that it i n f l u e n c e d the change. T h a t h a p p e n e d four y e a r s
Fixed-Wing Operations... ago. The contract is currently flying s o m e 40 patients per m o n t h . T h e 401 is n o w a back up, a n d w e ' r e n o w exploring the feasibility of installing a balloon p u m p in a s e c o n d King Air for the h o s p i t a l . " " I t w a s the start of our current a e r o m e d i c a l p h i l o s o p h y . As the King Air w o u l d travel to different hospitals, s o m e w o u l d call us to see if we w o u l d be interested in p r o d u c i n g a m o d i f i e d aircraft for t h e m . As t i m e w e n t on, w e felt that we s h o u l d look into the possibility of d e v e l o p i n g a f u l l y - c o n f i g u r e d aircraft, a n d m a r k e t it nationally. We started this project a couple of years ago, to go after the STC a p p r o v a l , a n d really started to m a r k e t the aircraft this past J a n u a r y . " W h e n Business Aviation d e c i d e d to m a r k e t their concept o n a national scale, t h e y t h o u g h t that m a y b e t h e y n e e d e d to d e v e l o p a fancier product. T h e y tried several loading configurations a n d tracking m e c h a n i s m s to m o v e the stretchers into the aircraft, but w h e n it w a s all done, the c o m p a n y decided to go back to basics - to their original basic design, w h i c h h a d b e e n well a c c e p t e d b y the n u r s e s a n d EMS people. " I t ' s trouble free a n d has n e v e r h a d a p r o b l e m , " c o m m e n t e d Mr. Everton. " W e ' v e k e p t e v e r y t h i n g v e r y simple o n the airplane - with few m o v i n g parts to go w r o n g - d e v e l o p e d a r o u n d a simple, relatively i n e x p e n s i v e design." " W e h a v e a ' g e t back to basics' p h i l o s o p h y : s o m e b o d y ' s got to p a y for it, so it h a d better be affordable. There are v e r y few g o v e r n m e n t grants, a n d hospitals are on an austerity p r o g r a m , a n d d o n ' t w a n t to subsidize a n y t h i n g a n y m o r e . The price h a s to be realistic to the p o i n t w h e r e the insurance c o m p a n i e s d o n ' t h a v e a p r o b l e m with it, a n d w h e r e the u n i n s u r e d patient can p a y for it. If the patient c a n ' t pay, t h e n at least it's a r e a s o n a b l e price for the h o s p i t a l . " The c o m p a n y ' s product, then, is a c o m p l e t e o v e r h a u l a n d medical configuration of a Beechcraft Series 90 King air t u r b o p r o p . The configuration includes n e w engines, n e w p r o p s , a 5,000 h o u r airframe inspection, n e w de-icing boots, avionics, a n d of course, paint. The avionics installation includes color radar, Loran-C (for n a v i g a t i o n to little airports that h a v e no navaids) dual t r a n s p o n d e r s , a r a d a r altimeter, u p g r a d e collins n a v / c o m m s y s t e m s , 24 HOSPITAL AVIATION, JULY 1985
a n d e v e n a voice-activated a i r - t o - g r o u n d t e l e p h o n e for h a n d s - f r e e hospital c o m m u n i c a t i o n s . The medical configuration includes an S T C ' d litter a n d seat installation, specially installed medical e q u i p m e n t h a r d w a r e , a n d significant b u t simple d o o r modifications to p e r m i t easy p a t i e n t loading. The medical gear includes dual air p u m p s , d u a l v a c u u m p u m p s , 150 cubic foot o x y g e n cylinder, dual 115 volt AC inverters (separate f r o m aircraft inverters) a n d
28 volt DC p o w e r for isolettes. The craft c o m e s with r e m o v a b l e seat cushions for easy cleaning, a n d e v e n contains special polarized w i n d o w s . There are 3,000 individual p a r t s u s e d in the modification of our air a m b u l a n c e cabin. The stretcher a n d a t t e n d a n t seat bases h a v e m o r e t h a n 1,000 individual welds. S o m e 4,000 feet of electrical wiring is a d d e d to r u n the medical e q u i p m e n t . The finished p r o d u c t requires 1,200 m a n - h o u r s of labor.
Fixed-Wing Operations... " T h e r e ' s a r e a s o n for every n u t a n d bolt in that airplane c o n v e r s i o n , " c o n t i n u e d Mr. Everton. " W e h a v e a p r o v e n p r o d u c t - one that's e v o l v e d from nine years of experience. With the d o o r modification, we can load a stretcher at a n y angle b e t w e e n 0 a n d 43 degrees. With p r e v i o u s door m o d s , the d o o r was subject to bending. With the n e w m o d , w e ' v e h a d no t r o u b l e . " " W e p r e v i o u s l y h a d trouble with pilots injuring their backs during stretcher loading, b u t with a modified belt s y s t e m we h a v e n ' t h a d a n y b o d y hurt their back. All it does is force y o u to use y o u r knees, a n d it w o r k s great." " T h e price (May 1st) is $490,000 for the total airplane, including c o n f i g u r a t i o n , " states A n n Krier, Vice President of M a r k e t i n g for Business Aviation. " D e l i v e r y is two m o n t h s after contract signature. We selected the King Air b e c a u s e of its safety record o v e r 13 million h o u r s of flying time. Its Pratt & W h i t n e y engines are e x t r e m e l y reliable. Their free turbines p r o v i d e better cold w e a t h e r starts, as the starter m o t o r d o e s n ' t h a v e to turn the propellor gearbox prior to ignition. The King Air's reverse pitch p r o p s a n d big, beefy l a n d i n g gear are great for short field landings. The craft will operate out of 96 % of airports in the United States." In explaining just w h a t the c o m p a n y offers, Ms. Krier outlined c o m p a n y m a r k e t i n g options of (1) direct aircraft sales, (2) contractual aircraft leases f r o m o n e to five years, or (3) p l a c e m e n t of the aircraft without a contract on a m o n t h l y basis. Each option is available as a complete, t u r n - k e y operation. But the deal d o e s n ' t stop after the sale. " W h e n the aircraft is delivered, we send a crew out to give g r o u n d school to the hospital, pilots, a n d p r o v i d e a training r e p r e s e n t a t i v e to stay with the airplane to e n s u r e a s m o o t h transition of the aircraft into their p r o g r a m s " c o n c l u d e d Ms. Krier. " W e ' r e not i n t e r e s t e d in selling an airplane a n d walking away. We d o n ' t feel we can build future sales on that kind of p r o g r a m . " A n d the future for the dedicated a e r o m e d i c a l airplane has n e v e r b e e n better.
The K i n g A i r was selected f o r a m b u l a n c e c o n f i g u r a t i o n due to its twopatient, three attendant cabin and its rugged, short.field f l i g h t o p e r a t i o n s capability.
The K i n g A i r offers a m p l e room for a n e o n a t a l team and newborn isolette, and can even add a stretcher p a t i e n t with ease.
HOSPITAL AVIATION, JULY 1985 25