DESERT DUSTOFF
Where there is intensive training, accidents are bound to happen. Charlie Company of the 2916th Aviation Battalion is the unit that provides Aeromedical Evacuation (medevac). The unit currently operates six UH-60L Blackhawks that in 2015 replaced the UH-60A+ nicknamed the Frankenhawk. “Actually, this was the perfect helicopter to operate in this environment,” explained Maj. Michael Chase, former commander of C Company Staff. “It had the lighter airframe of the A model, but was fitted with the more powerful engine of the L model. It gave us more power to operate in hot-and-high conditions. We also operated until 2015 the UH-72A Lakota, but this aircraft was not meeting our expectations as it was limited in performance. Therefore, it could happen that sometimes we had to leave a crew member or heavy equipment behind. With the UH-60L Blackhawk, we do not have that problem.” Sgt. Derek Randall, former C Company flight medic with over 400 flying hours and 60 real missions added, “We’re the busiest Dustoff unit; we’re the first responder for the RTUs, and the second responder for Southern California. Additionally, we do a lot for the community. I have almost transferred anyone, from a little kid to someone’s grandma, and on top of that, we provide local support for San Bernardino County. One of our most memorable missions occurred on 4 October 2021, when an F/A-18F, operating out of China Lake, suffered an engine failure and the pilot had to bail out. Our crews responded as the nearest medevac unit. The medic jumped out of the helicopter at the crash site and found the pilot who had some head trauma, and he got checked out at the hospital. For me personally, the most memorable mission was when a child fell down some stairs and had a shifting intercranial bleed. We took him to the hospital, and the next week I saw him back when his parents brought him to the airfield and he was all happy. That’s what makes it worthwhile for me: all the positive turnarounds.”
A C Company “Desert Dustoff” crew prepares a patient for transport to a higher care facility in San Bernardino County, California.
THE BEST WAY TO MOVE SKID TYPE HELICOPTERS
251-928-2771
info@helicopterhandler.com
rotorpro.com
69
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
