Originally Posted by Medic2RN
Why has this not been utilized? Is it too expensive?
Anytime I've called for a helo to be dispatched, I always had to call them at night. I thought they used this type of technology.
There are a few EMS operators that use NVGs. Very few. The bottom line is the cost. The most common NVG type is the ANVIS 9. These typically run about $10K reconditioned per unit and $12 to $14K new. Right now, the war effort has soaked up the new production runs, so a set for a civilian operator is hard to come by at any price. What few are available generally go to law enforcement agencies.
In a governmental agency (such as law enforcement), we get grants for acquisitions or we just beg until we get the money, and if we don't we just wait until next year and by then we lobby with our legislative contacts and get what we want. (We can't get a pay raise but we can get new equipment, go figure...yeehaw
).
With a civilian operator, it's all about the bottom line. Any non-revenue flight, such as training, costs money. New equipment costs money. It eats into the bottom line. In addition to acquisition costs, there is initial training, then recurrency training. There is already biennial flight reviews, standards training, FAA sub-part training and recurrency, recency of experience, and so on. Throw in the NVG stuff and it really adds up.
Many EMS pilots are ex-military pilots and know the value of NVGs, but many EMS operators will not allow their pilots to use NVGs because they don't want to foot the bill for equipment costs, initial training, and recurrency. My NVG instructor was a retired military Apachee pilot, worked part time for a Law Enforcement agency, instructed NVGs on the side, and worked full time for an EMS operator who would not allow the pilots to use NVGs. He didn't like it, but he only flew hospital to hospital runs, so he put up with it. He has told me he would not accept a mission to fly out to a crash scene in the dark of night and try to land in some highway median. The guys and gals who do take on these kinds of missions are generally low time pilots trying to build hours and will take the assignment because they don't know better. They are the ones who often end up in the news while the experienced guys won't even consider doing such a flight. (not saying that that is the case in this situation).
A friend of mine who retired from an LE agency took an EMS job because he needed the money (or thought he did). Company policy dictated that if he found himself in a IFR situation he was to climb up, file IFR and divert to the nearest airport with a published approach. Well, that very thing happened. He flew into an IFR situation and was lucky to survive it with a single pilot IFR circumstance and without an autopilot. Once he landed, he promptly resigned.
Another friend of mine, a member of my agency, simply told his part time employer that he would use his NGVs or he wouldn't work for him. Since he is the only pilot who will make late night runs, he has his way.
I have flown many missions at night, mostly on NGVs. We did some surveillance flights this past week in central Florida with the wildfires we have been having. Believe me, without the NVGs, I would have been at home in bed.
Again, I'm not saying that this situation would have been prevented with NVGs, as that would be speculation, and I don't want to second guess the actions of the pilot in this situation without knowing all the facts.
I just would like to see more EMS operators implement an NVG program into their operations, the safety enhancement would be considerable.
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