ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to introduce the reader to all aspects of aeromedical transportation since, clearly, fixed and rotary wing aircraft can be used in a number of diverse ways. Not only are the missions, and the injuries and illnesses of the patients, widely disparate, but the types of aircraft that can be used will vary accordingly. For instance, there is a great difference between the operations of an urban HEMS helicopter and an air ambulance company which specializes only in long distance repatriations. The ultimate solution to the problem of inflight medical emergencies lies in their prevention. There are few clinical reasons for refusal of aeromedical transportation and, although some conditions will require careful thought in the planning stages of the transfer, none is an absolute bar. A selected list of flight services, references, organizations, and Internet sites serving as portals to the aeromedical community is provided at the end of the chapter.
