|
Contact:
Jennifer Hardcastle, REACH Director of Program Development
(707) 324-2400
451 Aviation Blvd., Ste 201
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
For Immediate Release
REACH Air Medical Services Conducts
Night Vision Goggle Training in Redding Area
Night Vision Goggles Enhance Operations in Redding Area
Redding, CA – June 14, 2005
– REACH Air Medical Services helicopter crews commenced initiation training for night vision goggles out of Redding Municipal Airport and Benton Field, on June 13, 2005 and will end this segment of training on June 18, 2005. REACH will utilize all measures possible to mitigate noise impact on neighbors. REACH looks forward to enhancing night-time operations at their Redding base by implementing the use of night vision goggles (NVG) to enhance their crews' vision during night time operations.
“REACH expects to complete all current training by June18, 2005,” said REACH’s Chief Pilot Vicky
Spediacci, “Our goal is to complete the training in a neighbor friendly manner. To do so, we will be conducting some of our training at other off-airport locations and will strive to complete the training by
2:00 a.m. each training night.”
“The FAA views night vision goggles as one way of enhancing safety for night operations,” said Spediacci. “Night vision goggles take any available ambient
light, i.e. moon, stars, etc., and multiply it thousands of times. They are capable of turning darkness into near daylight conditions.”
“Historically, night vision goggles were only utilized by the military,” continued Spediacci. “Only
recently, because of improvements to night vision devices, has this technology and experience been allowed to be transferred to the private aviation sector. REACH is in the forefront of the private
operators that have requested approval to utilize this technology. In addition to purchasing night vision equipment and to training of all flight personnel, REACH has received approval from the FAA to modify the
cockpits of their aircraft to make them compatible for night vision goggle use.”
In order to accomplish NVG capability, REACH crews must participate in an FAA approved structured and specific
training program. NVGs have certain limitations and their use require specialized training. This effort is accomplished by a highly experienced outside vendor, Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU,
Inc) fromBoise, Idaho. ASU has approval from the FAA to conduct night vision goggle training for REACH pilots and medical personnel. Each pilot has received 8 hours of classroom and will participate in 5
hours of night time flight training. The pilots will be required to receive final approval by the FAA before they will be allowed to conduct NVG flights.
About REACH Air Medical Services: REACH Air Medical Services (www.reachairambulance.com) is headquartered in Santa Rosa and provides helicopter and fixed wing patient transportation for critically ill and injured patients.
Since REACH’s inception in 1987, the company has performed more than 25,000 air ambulance missions and has developed a specialty in serving pediatric and neonatal patients. REACH supports bases in Concord,
Lakeport,Lodi, Marysville, Redding, and Santa Rosa.
REACH was one of the first air transport programs to be fully CAMTS certified (www.camts.org)
and has one of the most aggressive safety programs in the air ambulance industry. REACH was also the first air ambulance company to receive FAA approval to respond in low-visibility conditions using
established GPS routing procedures. REACH continues to be a leader in air ambulance safety, currently installing Night Vision Goggle equipment in its aircraft to increase night flying safety. REACH is
privately owned and operated.
# # #
|
