- Flight For Life (Valley Hospital)
Infobox Company
company_name = Flight For Life
company_
company_type = Air Ambulance
foundation = 1980 - December 9, 2001
location = Las Vegas, Nevada
industry = EMS
homepage = [http://web.archive.org/web/20010925143356/http://flightforlife.com/ FlightforLife.com]History
Valley Hospital established Southern Nevada's firstair ambulance service, "Flight for Life", in 1980, 9 years after Milton I. Schwartz Opened the Hospital. Their First Helicopter was an Aerospatiale SA.316/319 "Alouette III", With only theStar of Life on the side of the Helicopter, Owned by RTS Helicopters and Served for 2 years. In 1982 RTS Traded in the Alouette for An Updated, Newer AS-355F2 (N57901) sported a Deep Blue/Sea Green paint Scheme. On December 7, 1983, N57901 was destroyed when it Collided with Black Mountain. The Hospital Put a Plaque of Honor On the East Side of the Helipad. Valley Hospital Immediately signed a contract with Medical Aviation Inc. (A Subsidiary of Metro Aviation), to sustain the Service. When they signed on with the new contract they were shipped permanent BO105 CBS4 (N10VH) Called "Lifeguard 1" that they based at Valley Hospital, along with loner aircraft to use when the main helicopter was in heavy maintenance. At The Time The Paint Scheme Was a Curved Silver Stripe on orange and black with the Valley Hospital Logo on the side. During 1995, they Changed color scheme to a Straight silver stripe with orange, black and "VHMC" on the side of the Helicopter. At the End of 1998 they were shipped a Second BO105 CBS5 (N911VH) with a Silver Star and Black with orange trim and the New Valley Hospital Logo to the Fleet Calling This "Lifeguard 1", and switching the older helicopter to be called "Lifeguard 2". In the Middle of 1999 Metro Aviation Shipped Valley Hospital a Newer, Faster, BK117 B2 (N117VH) with the same paint scheme as N911VH. Having this newer Helicopter added, they switched the names again Calling N117VH "Lifeguard 1", N911VH "Lifeguard 2", and N10VH "Lifeguard 3". OnDecember 4 ,2001 , Metro Aviation Sold The Program to Mercy Air, therefore shutting down the Flight For Life Air Ambulance Service, surrendering the air ambulance service toMercy Air .Fleet
[http://web.archive.org/web/20010818184029/flightforlife.com/FFL_copters.htm Helicopters Page]
*Eurocopter BK-117 B2 "Lifeguard 1" (N117VH)(1998-2001) Metro Aviation
*MBB BO-105 /CBS5 "Lifeguard 2" (N911VH)(1997-2000)Metro Aviation
*MBB BO-105 /CBS "Lifeguard 3" (N10VH)(1983-2001) Metro Aviation
*Aerospatiale /Eurocopter AS-355 (N57901)(1982-1983) RTS Helicopters
*Aerospatiale SA.316/319Alouette III (Unknown Ident) (1980-1982) RTS HelicoptersBackup Aircraft
*MBB BO-105/CBS4 (Loner)(N105HH)(1998-1999) Metro Aviation
*MBB BO-105/CBS5 (Loner) (N912ET) (Air One, Tx) (1998-2001) Metro Aviation
*Eurocopter BK-117 B2 (Loner) (N117LG)(1994-2001) CJ Systems LLC
*Eurocopter BK-117 B2 (Loner) (Unknown Ident.) (1999-2001) CJ Systems LLCThe Following Posthumously Operates Under the Flight For Life Dispatch.
All Following are operated by
Air Methods .
*AirLife 7Bell 412EP (N401MA)(1997-2006)
*AirLife 11Eurocopter BK-117 (N405MA)(1998-2001)
*Mercy Air 5Eurocopter BK-117 (N411MA)(1998-2001)
*Mercy Air 5 MDHC MD-902 (N411MA)(2001-2002)
*Mercy Air 7Bell 222UT (N402MA)(2002-Present)
*Mercy Air 7 Bell 222UT (N222LN)(2002-Present)
*Mercy Air 11 Bell 222UT (N431MA)(2002-Present)
*Mercy Air 11 Bell 222UT (N415MA)(2002-Present)
*Mercy Air 11 Bell 412EP (N401MA)(1998-Present)
*Mercy Air 21 Bell 222UT (N417MA)(2001-2002)
*Mercy Air 21 Bell 222UT (N403MA)(2002-Present)
*Mercy Air 21 Bell 222UT (N421MA)(2002-Present)Service Area and Bases
Southern
Nevada ,Mohave County /Strip District ofArizona , Parts ofDixie (Utah) , and Parts ofSocal .Bases
*The Main Helipad On TopValley Hospital Medical Center
*A Helipad atMesquite Airport (N10VH).
*A Helipad inPahrump, Nevada (N911VH).
*A Helipad on the Roof of the Garage at Whiskey Pete's,Primm, Nevada (N10VH).
*A Maintenance Hangar at Cheyenne Air Center atNorth Las Vegas Airport .Dispatch
Flight For Life Used to have Dedicated Frequencies, 155.280 MHz and 158.980 MHz, from which they communicate with other aircraft in the fleet and base operations.Dispatch Mainly Came in from the local fire department, or law enforcement of the event. Dispatch also came through Mercy Ambulance (Now AMR).Mercy Air Now Does dispatch with LifeCom, in Omaha, Nebraska.LifeCom Dispatch are 458.875 MHz (Ch.1) and 453.875 MHz (Ch.2).
Incidents and Accidents
On December 7, 1983, N57901 was destroyed when it Collided with Black Mountain. The Pilot attempted an Auto-rotation after the left engine cowling came apart mid flight. Pilot Paul Kinsey, Flight Nurse Jessica Hilt, And Paramedic Chris Hasselfeld died. [http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001214X45311&key=1 NTSB Report]
On April 3 1999, N105HH Was Destroyed and Pilot James Bond Jr., 42, with two flight nurses, Kathy Batterman, 44, Leroy Shelton, 37, died when the
Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Bo105 smashed into a patch of land just off Old Ben Road near Indian Springs onApril 4 ,1999 . The NTSB ruled that pilot error and punishing weather that reduced visibility to less than 50 yards caused the crash. [http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001205X00485&key=1 NTSB Report] An elementary school in Las Vegas was named in Kathy Batterman's honor. [http://ccsd.net/schools/batterman/]On November 13, 2000, N911VH Collided with the ground. The Pilot Attempted to avoid a set of powerlines after a car appeared to be in the LZ. Pilot Tim Rego, Flight Nurse Lisa Freeman, and Paramedic Rick Loughry Escaped with Minor Injuries. [http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X22303&key=1 NTSB Report]
On September 7, 2002, N417MA Was Destroyed after the Rotor blades separated from the helicopter. The crash killed pilot Marshall Butler, 46, of Pahrump; flight nurse Ana Coburn, 30, of Las Vegas; and paramedic Kalaya Jarbsunthie, 31, of Las Vegas. All used to work for Flight for Life. [http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20020918X05173&key=1 NTSB Report]
References
[http://www.gabemuniz.741.com Gabe Muniz] , Clark County Aviation Enthusiast]
Resources
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