title: The strategy of training staff for a new type of helicopter as an element of raising the security level of flight operations.
abstract: In 2008, the Polish Medical Air Rescue started replacing its fleet with modern EC135 machines. To ensure the maximum possible safety of the missions performed both in the period of implementing the change and later on, the management prepared a strategy of training its crews to use the new type of helicopter. The analysis of incidents that occurred during 2006-2009 showed that both the human and the technical factors must be carefully considered. Moreover, a risk analysis was conducted to reduce the risk both during general crew training and in the course of particular flight operations. A four-stage strategy of training pilots and crew members was worked out by weighing up all the risks. The analysis of data from 2010 to 2013 confirmed that the risk connected with flying and with all the activities involved in direct support aircraft operations is under control and lowered to an acceptable level.
authors.affiliation: a Medical University of Warsaw , Poland.|b Polish Medical Air Rescue , Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gałązkowski
authors.affiliation: b Polish Medical Air Rescue , Poland.
authors.forename: Władysław
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wołkowski
authors.affiliation: c Jagiellonian University Medical College , Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikos
authors.affiliation: d Medical University in Białystok , Poland.
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szajda
authors.affiliation: b Polish Medical Air Rescue , Poland.
authors.forename: Arkadiusz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wejnarski
authors.affiliation: a Medical University of Warsaw , Poland.|b Polish Medical Air Rescue , Poland.
authors.forename: Stanisław Paweł
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Świeżewski
mesh_terms: D000060:Accidents, Aviation / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017732:Air Ambulances; D000401:Aircraft; D000465:Algorithms; D001359:Aviation / Q000193:education*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000193:education*; D011044:Poland; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Helicopter Emergency Medical Service; Medical Air Rescue; risk analysis; safety on the job; training strategy