COVER STORY


Left to Right: Robert Vandrell, Neal Phillips, Marlin Priest and Patrick Delahoussaye


LIFE-SAVING AIRCRAFT A NEW LIFE FOR A


BIRMINGHAM, AL-BASED AIRMED INTERNATIONAL IS AN AIR MEDICAL TRANSPORT COMPANY. IT HAS A FLEET OF MEDICAL JETS AND MEDICAL TEAMS THAT HELP PERFORM MEDICAL CARE AND BEDSIDE TO BEDSIDE TRANSPORTATION ON A WORLDWIDE BASIS FROM BASES IN BIRMINGHAM, SAN ANTONIO AND LAS VEGAS.


When one of AirMed’s aircraft at


its San Antonio base, a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries MU-300, had an engine issue, the cost of the repair exceeded the value of the aircraft. AirMed was looking for an opportunity to donate the aircraft. As luck would have it, Marlin Priest, a former DOM and founder and CEO of Pioneer Aviation Management


(pioneeraviationmanagement.com), knew the director of maintenance at AirMed and found out about the MU-300 that was now out of commission. Priest knew a perfect opportunity to give the aircraft a new life. Priest serves on the advisory board


for the Alabama Aviation College in Albertville, AL — a Part 147 school under the umbrella of Sneed State


Community college. He knew that the school was in need of training aids. Priest met with the president of the college, the CFO and the Aviation Program manager to let them know about the opportunity to acquire the aircraft. After around nine months of conversations, negotiations and planning, a plan was put in place to transport the aircraft to the school. Because of the engine issue,


6 DOMmagazine.com | july 2019


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