Ambulance flight in an aircraft or helicopter

An accident while you are on holiday, a sudden illness on a business trip or the planned transfer of a patient from one hospital to another: there are many reasons for transporting patients by air. With individual advice and support from a personal customer advisor as well as careful planning of the entire patient transport mission, we will ensure a fast and patient-friendly air ambulance flight.

Many years of experience in the field of national and international patient transfers make us a competent partner for your air ambulance flight. We will work out a transport plan that is coordinated with all those involved quickly and efficiently. We, thus, enable smooth patient transfer flights to be carried out – from a short-notice patient transport by helicopter to a transcontinental air ambulance flight in an ambulance jet.

Choosing the best means of transport

We always select the most suitable means of transport depending on the patient's state of health and the urgency of the transfer. In this way, we always ensure the highest degree of safety for the air ambulance mission and the fast, gentle transfer of the patient.

Ambulance flight in an ambulance jet

Ambulance jets are fitted with technical equipment that is similar to that in a modern intensive care unit. In this way, even intensive care patients can be transported safely and quickly. If necessary, during the flight, the internal air pressure of the cabin can also be adjusted to the air pressure level on the ground. This so-called Sea Level Flight makes it possible to provide air ambulance flights for people who are not able to fly in a regular airliner due to the difference in air pressure. Of course, the patient is cared for and monitored by an experienced flight medic during every ambulance flight in an ambulance jet.

Another great advantage of ambulance jets is that they are available at short notice. Coupled with their long range, this means that short-notice, fast transfer flights are even possible over long distances. Our ambulance jets are stationed all over the world and can therefore be ready for your air ambulance flight within the shortest possible time frame.

Patient transport in a scheduled aircraft

With a lead time of 1 to 2 days, a patient transfer can be carried out in a scheduled aircraft. The condition is, of course, that the patient's state of health is stable enough to allow this. A medical flight attendant will take care of the patient throughout the flight and will intervene immediately if necessary.

If the patient can sit upright for a fairly long period of time, he or she will be allocated a regular seat, just like the medical flight attendant – usually in Business Class for reasons of comfort and freedom of movement. If the patient has to be transported lying down, a special patient stretcher bed is installed in the aircraft cabin. In this case the medical flight attendant will occupy a regular seat in close proximity to the patient. However, many airlines only agree to carry out patient bed installations for medium and long-haul flights. As such, transporting patients on stretcher beds in scheduled aircraft is not possible for every route.

Ambulance flight in a helicopter

When it comes to air ambulances, a helicopter has a decisive advantage over any aeroplane. A helicopter can almost always land directly at the hospital, so that, for short-distance patient transfers, the transport time is significantly reduced. The medical equipment in an ambulance helicopter enables fast and safe patient transport, even for intensive care patients.

However, due to their limited range, helicopters are only used for short-haul flights. The need for frequent fuel stops makes using helicopters on medium or long-haul routes uneconomical and would result in longer journey times. For this reason, planes make much better air ambulances.

Safe patient transport from bed to bed

We will organise all aspects of the patient transport mission from a single source – including necessary ground transport. In the case of an air ambulance flight by helicopter, the helicopter will, in almost all cases, carry out the entire patient transfer. For an ambulance flight in a plane, we can also organise the ground ambulances from the patient’s hospital to the airport and from the airport to the destination hospital.