{"id":37524,"date":"2022-11-03T00:57:12","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T06:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-aircare-plane-averages-65-to-70-flights-a-month\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T02:38:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:38:05","slug":"new-aircare-plane-averages-65-to-70-flights-a-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-aircare-plane-averages-65-to-70-flights-a-month\/","title":{"rendered":"New AirCare plane averages 65 to 70 flights a month"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"An
An AirCare team uses the patient hoist on its state-of-the-art airplane, which went into service at the beginning of 2022. (Courtesy photo)<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Now that the intense demands of the COVID-19 pandemic have eased, San Juan Regional Medical Center\u2019s AirCare unit has settled into a more regular routine of transporting patients to required treatment, but with a new set of wings.<\/p>\n

A state-of-the-art airplane went into service at the beginning of 2022, enhancing the performance of the lifesaving crew.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe currently average 65 to 70 flights on the new airplane each month, and 30 to 40 flights on the rotor wing (helicopter) each month \u2026 so we\u2019re actually quite a busy base,\u201d said AirCare manager Robbie Donald.<\/p>\n

Donald, a registered nurse, is the new AirCare department manager. The Farmington native has been with the department for 13 years, after leaving the region for a few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m near to my one-year mark in a couple of weeks,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Trauma centers in Albuquerque are the primary destination for the helicopter, but flights to Grand Junction also are common.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlbuquerque has the No. 1 trauma treatment center, and it\u2019s got a couple of advanced cardiac treatment options,\u201d Donald said.<\/p>\n

The helicopter is used as a \u201cscene response in our local community and surrounding communities,\u201d including the Navajo Reservation. Its range is about 150 miles, with reserve fuel for an extra 30 miles.<\/p>\n

Flights to Denver, Colorado Springs, Phoenix and Salt Lake City are typical for the airplane.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hit a lot of the major cities in our region,\u201d Donald said.<\/p>\n

\"The
The AirCare team and ski patrol from Purgatory Resort gather around San Juan Regional Medical Center\u2019s helicopter during a practice run on Jan. 24. Photo by Liz Weber<\/span>du1-i-syn<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Flights are primarily \u201cemergency responses for acute conditions \u2013 heart attacks, strokes, trauma,\u201d he said. \u201cWe certainly do some transport of long-term medical problems that need a higher level of care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donald recalled one memorable flight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were transporting a traditional elderly Navajo man out of Chinle, and as we got close the Canyon de Chelly, he pointed out the homestead where he grew up and a lone hogan remained. As we flew over the canyon, he was mesmerized by the aerial view, as this was his first time flying, and I could see him tear up in happiness and joy. It was a meaningful flight for him as well as our crew.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new turboprop airplane, a Pilatus PC-12 NGX, is equipped with the most advanced medical equipment. It was purchased through a municipal bond offering in October 2020, said SJRMC Public Relations Director Laura Werbner, stating that $5.4 million was spent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donald said it went into service at the beginning of 2022. San Juan Regional Medical Center contracts with Air Methods Corp. to provide pilots and mechanics.<\/p>\n

The plane joins the unit helicopter, which saw heavy duty during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the early phases of the pandemic, we flew a lot of intubated, very, very sick people. We either brought them here to our hospital or down to Lovelace in Albuquerque,\u201d Donald said.<\/p>\n

Intubation is a process where a health care provider inserts a tube through a person\u2019s mouth or nose, then down into their trachea, or windpipe. The tube keeps the trachea open so that air can get through. The tube can connect to a machine that delivers air or oxygen, according to the Cleveland Clinic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Donald explained that when dealing with cardiac patients, a cardiologist determines whether the case is acute and the helicopter will pick up the patient for treatment at the Cardiac Cath Lab.<\/p>\n

The helicopter and plane are equipped like an intensive care unit.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose are specialized equipment that are designed to bridge a patient from a severe heart attack to either a transplant or an open heart surgery or a coronary artery bypass surgery,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have everything that an ICU would be capable of having. It\u2019s a highly advanced ICU in a compact helicopter and airplane.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Pilatus
Pilatus PC-12 NGX, is equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment.<\/span>cca<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

The crew on every flight consists of a pilot, a nurse and a paramedic. With different skill sets, the nurse and paramedic are \u201ccross-trained\u201d for their specialized AirCare duties.<\/p>\n

The airplane comfortably transports an extra passenger, while the helicopter is a \u201clittle more weight-limited,\u201d he said. The helicopter\u2019s patient load is 250 to 300 pounds, and the plane, about 400 pounds, which is crew-manageable. The new airplane can seat three additional people beside the crew of three. Pilots are provided through a contract with Air Methods.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe actually do encourage family members, if possible, to go \u2026 for patient support purposes and for decision-making once they make it to the facility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

During a three 12-hour schedule, a typical 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift for the AirCare team begins with a debrief from the departing crew, followed by a thorough check of the aircraft, including all medical equipment and supplies. About 8:10 p.m., the crew does their daily brief to \u201caddress safety factors, pending missions \u2026 and educational issues and weather,\u201d according to Donald.<\/p>\n

Preparation is the key for their smooth, efficient daily operation. \u201cWe want to make sure that we\u2019ve got everything in mind, that our crew has everything they need to be successful on mission,\u201d Donald said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Regional Medical Center\u2019s AirCare back to more normal operations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[28,138,3352],"naviga_topic":[],"class_list":["post-37524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-headlines","tag-new-mexico","tag-san-juan-regional-medical-center"],"acf":[],"author_name":"dh_admin","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37524"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83687,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37524\/revisions\/83687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37524"},{"taxonomy":"naviga_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/naviga_topic?post=37524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}