Inside Air Medical Safety: Helmets, Flight Gear, Avionics, and the 360° Walkaround

Inside Air Medical Safety: Helmets, Flight Gear, Avionics, and the 360 Walkaround

At PHI Air Medical, safety is more than procedures — it’s a culture shaped by people. Pilots, flight nurses, flight paramedics, and mechanics work together with proven habits that keep every mission safe. Helmets, protective suits, advanced avionics, disciplined maintenance, careful landing zone evaluation, and a life-saving walkaround before each flight all serve one purpose: protecting patients and crews.

Independent accreditation and industry recognition validate these standards. Separately, PHI Cares membership provides families with financial protection so decisions about transport remain focused on medical need, not cost.

Helmets: Protection and Communication

Helmets are essential to the crew’s safety and performance.

• Certified performance: Aviation helmets tested under recognized standards meet benchmarks for impact protection, retention, and field of view.
• Integrated communication: Microphones and speakers inside helmets allow crews to coordinate clearly despite rotor noise.
• Noise reduction and hearing protection: Helmet systems reduce fatigue during long shifts in high-noise environments.
• Eye and face protection: Visors shield against glare, rotor wash, and debris.

Flight Suits and Night Vision

Crews wear flame-resistant flight suits, made from aviation-grade fibers such as Nomex. These are lightweight, durable, and tailored for mobility in close quarters.

All PHI helicopters are also authorized for night-vision goggle (NVG) operations, improving visibility and situational awareness on night missions. NVGs are integrated with helmets and supported by training and operational standards.

Avionics That Enhance Awareness

Technology provides another layer of safety in PHI helicopters.

• Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS): Alerts crews to terrain or obstacles with both visual and aural cues, adding protection in challenging environments.
• Stabilization and navigation aids: GPS and autopilot systems help maintain course and altitude precision while reducing workload.
• Fleet tracking and communications: Real-time monitoring and robust communication channels connect crews with operations centers and hospitals.

Avionics reinforce human vigilance with timely information and alerts.

Mechanics: Safety Before Flight

Every mission begins long before the helicopter arrives at a scene. Mechanics provide the first layer of safety, maintaining each aircraft to meet FAA requirements and PHI’s own standards.

• Daily checks: Before flight operations begin, mechanics review the aircraft for any issues that might affect readiness.
• Scheduled inspections: Aircraft are examined at regular intervals based on flight hours and calendar schedules, ensuring that critical systems are consistently monitored.
• Documentation: Every inspection, adjustment, and part replacement is logged and signed. This record creates accountability and transparency.
• Continuous improvement: If trends or recurring issues are identified, maintenance procedures are updated to strengthen reliability over time.

This combination of routine checks, scheduled inspections, and ongoing adjustments ensures aircraft are prepared for safe operations every day.

The 360° Walkaround: A Life-Saving Behavior

PHI identifies the 360° walkaround as one of its core life-saving behaviors. All available crew members perform it before each flight.

The walkaround is a standalone task that must be done without interruption before the engine starts. If interrupted, it is restarted from the beginning.

During the 360°, the crew confirms:

• Rotor tie-downs, inlet covers, and shore power cords removed and stowed
• Cowlings, clamshells, and latches secured
• Doors closed and latched
• No visible fluid leaks
• Steps and skids are free of objects
• Maintenance equipment cleared
• Fuel cap secured and keys removed
• Overall aircraft condition sound

This consistent, deliberate practice prevents oversights and reinforces PHI’s safety culture: know, engage, commit, and perform.

Landing Zones: Extending Safety Beyond the Aircraft

Safety doesn’t end with helmets, avionics, or inspections. Where a helicopter lands matters just as much.

In one example, a pilot described approaching a hospital helipad located next to two ponds. From altitude, the pad appeared safe. But during a low reconnaissance pass, the crew spotted about 20 geese in the water immediately adjacent to the landing zone.

Rather than risk landing, the team coordinated with communications and hospital security. When the geese couldn’t be cleared, they orbited until an alternate site was identified at a nearby fire station. The patient transfer was completed safely with ground support.

This incident illustrates the principles of safe landing zone evaluation:

• Reconnaissance passes: Crews conduct both high and low passes to assess hazards.
• Communication: Pilots, medical crew, and dispatch coordinate with ground partners.
• Flexibility: If a designated pad isn’t safe, alternate sites can be used quickly.
• Patience: Crews wait, orbit, or relocate rather than accept unnecessary risk.

Landing zones are part of the same safety culture as helmets, HTAWS, and the 360 walkaround: deliberate habits that reduce exposure to hazards.

Accreditation: Independent Validation

The Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) accredits entire medical transport programs. Its standards evaluate aviation operations, safety management systems, clinical practices, communications, quality programs, and education.

CAMTS accreditation confirms PHI’s program-level culture of safety. Aircraft certification is handled separately by the FAA.

Recognition: Vision Zero Aviation Safety Awards

The Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award recognizes programs that develop safety innovations for the air medical industry. PHI Air Medical has received the award twice:

• 2007: For its Enhanced Operational Control initiative.
• 2016: For a human-performance program centered on mindfulness and managing stress.

These honors highlight PHI’s commitment to sharing safety improvements across the industry.

Membership: Financial Protection for Families

A PHI Cares membership provides financial protection if a medically necessary PHI transport occurs. Membership shields families from unexpected out-of-pocket costs, ensuring that transport decisions are based on patient need.

Safety in Action

For families watching a helicopter prepare for departure, PHI’s safety culture is visible:

• Crews deliberately perform a 360° walkaround before engine start
• Helmets with visors and microphones in place
• Flame-resistant flight suits designed for aviation
• Purposeful communication and coordination

Behind those visible behaviors are mechanic inspections, scheduled maintenance, avionics like HTAWS, accreditation by CAMTS, and recognition through Vision Zero awards. Together, these elements make safety consistent and repeatable.

From helmets and protective flight suits to avionics that warn of terrain hazards, maintenance programs built on inspection and improvement, the life-saving 360° walkaround, and careful landing zone evaluations, PHI Air Medical integrates safety into every mission. Accreditation validates the program’s standards, Vision Zero honors its innovations, and PHI Cares membership provides families with financial protection when air medical care is needed most.