Clinical and Pilot Simulations
Simulation enhances higher-level skills
Not only are we fully committed to hiring a professional workforce, but we are even more driven to give them the resources and training necessary to maintain their elite skill set.
For our clinical staff, we believe use of human patient simulation has great application in training for high-risk, low-patient clinical situations.
These simulators are able to mimic real life patient encounters without any adverse outcomes to patients, therefore mitigating risk. Second, the simulators increase the availability to perform invasive skills that were previously not available except on patients during clinical rotations or on a flight. Currently, the company has 23 human patient simulators nationwide that are available to our staff for initial and continuing education opportunities.
For our pilots, we utilize three advanced aviation training devices (AATD) and an AS350 Level B Full Motion Simulator.
Use of the devices allow instructors to practice emergency procedures not well suited to attempt in a training aircraft in flight and help reduce the amount of in-aircraft training time. One AATD device is a replica of an EC135 helicopter, with an Air Methods-specific cockpit, and is permanently located at corporate headquarters in Colorado. The other two AATDs are AS350 helicopter replicas and mobile allowing us to move them around throughout operations.
The AS350 full motion simulator is used for initial training for new hire AS350 pilots, pilots transitioning from other helicopter models to the AS350, as well as for AS350 annual recurrent training.