Any medevac pilots on here? :)

[Melissa828483]

Hi everyone!

I was just wondering if there were any medevac pilots on here that might be willing to answer some questions for me!

I've always loved aviation, and have wanted a pilot career. However, I was never excited about the airlines mostly because of their schedules. I've been considering the fixed-wing, medevac route because I truly want to help people, and their schedules appeal to me! So I was just wondering if anyone would mind answering a few questions!

1) Is it possible to make a 'life-long career' as a medevac pilot?

2) Are you home every night?

3) Is the pay decent?

4) Lastly, what happens if you are supposed to work a 7am-7pm shift and a call comes in at 6:30pm for a two hour flight, so you don't get back until almost 10pm; do you get paid overtime for those hours or how does that work?

Thank you very much for all of your help and advice!

 

[ppragman]

I work medevac. I love it.

1) Maybe? The retirement isn't that good here, but the pay is comfortable enough to keep doing it until something so good I can't turn it down comes up.

2) Yes, unless I cover shifts somewhere else I am home every night. This is great if you have a family, I think if you're single this could actually be kind of a bummer.

3) Yes. I am very comfortable, my wife is a "stay-at-home" mom and we live in Hawaii, and we can comfortably get by. We can't buy a house out here, but on the mainland we totally could. The pay is decidedly "decent."

4) Stuff like this happens occasionally, it's not uncommon to come back, "part 91" if you have a flight that takes you beyond your normal duty day in that sort of situation if you're feeling up for it. As long as my loaded "patient" legs are completed within 14hrs of starting my shift I'm good and unless fatigue is an issue I'm likely to go. We don't get paid extra to do flights that run us beyond our 12 hour shift, but it's not really a big deal, it doesn't happen that often and the decision to come back "part 91" is entirely our own.

 

[z987k]

I work medevac. I love it.

1) Maybe? The retirement isn't that good here, but the pay is comfortable enough to keep doing it until something so good I can't turn it down comes up.

2) Yes, unless I cover shifts somewhere else I am home every night. This is great if you have a family, I think if you're single this could actually be kind of a bummer.

3) Yes. I am very comfortable, my wife is a "stay-at-home" mom and we live in Hawaii, and we can comfortably get by. We can't buy a house out here, but on the mainland we totally could. The pay is decidedly "decent."

4) Stuff like this happens occasionally, it's not uncommon to come back, "part 91" if you have a flight that takes you beyond your normal duty day in that sort of situation if you're feeling up for it. As long as my loaded "patient" legs are completed within 14hrs of starting my shift I'm good and unless fatigue is an issue I'm likely to go. We don't get paid extra to do flights that run us beyond our 12 hour shift, but it's not really a big deal, it doesn't happen that often and the decision to come back "part 91" is entirely our own.

1) the retirement doesn't exist where you work.

4) Coming home part 91 is forbidden by most companies. You cannot be CAMTS certified if your company approves 91 home.

Overall I really liked the job. A lot. It just doesn't pay enough to make it a career.

 

[gotWXdagain]

1) the retirement doesn't exist where you work.

4) Coming home part 91 is forbidden by most companies. You cannot be CAMTS certified if your company approves 91 home.

Overall I really liked the job. A lot. It just doesn't pay enough to make it a career.

4: Some companies get around CAMTS by having the timing out pilot ferry home, start rest when they get in, and have the incoming pilot ferry back to pick up the med crew. If it's a short transfer those are doable. My company doesn't, but some do.

 

[bkey79]

I can echo what they have said.

1) Our company's retirement contribution matching isn't bad, but I see this either as a 2nd retirement gig for some, or a stepping stone for others. I'll still move on when the time is right in a few years.

2) In the year I've worked for my company, I've only been stuck out 3 times. However, you work a 12:30 hour shift everyday, so there are times I just want to crash in the spare apartment instead of driving home.

3) Our company's pay is in the middle of most Medevac operators out there. Not the best, but not the worst. The pay however is above the top average for a BE9 and in line with BE20's.

4) We single pilot, part 91 ferry almost once a week. It's all about getting the patient to the drop off in 14 hours. Once the medic's head to the hospital, I'll repo the plane to home base (as long as it is within an hour flight time) and the next shift pilot will fly back up to grab the medics. And we are CAMTS certified.

4) Coming home part 91 is forbidden by most companies. You cannot be CAMTS certified if your company approves 91 home.

 

[NickH]

My previous company was camts, and got around it by lying to them.

Pay was decent, even at the lower end of the industry.

EMS is a very fluid industry. I wouldn't say it was stable enough for a long term career.

 

[ppragman]

My previous company was camts, and got around it by lying to them.

Pay was decent, even at the lower end of the industry.

EMS is a very fluid industry. I wouldn't say it was stable enough for a long term career.

This is worth mentioning - it's fairly sketchy to buy a house anywhere with this kind of job. We want to buy a house, but our location means homes are a bit pricey for us and while I think my base is very very secure, it's worth mentioning that bases open and close all the time. A lot of medevac guys that are "lifers" follow the airplanes.

 

[alaskadrifter]

This is worth mentioning - it's fairly sketchy to buy a house anywhere with this kind of job. We want to buy a house, but our location means homes are a bit pricey for us and while I think my base is very very secure, it's worth mentioning that bases open and close all the time. A lot of medevac guys that are "lifers" follow the airplanes.

Coming home to the motherland then? Also, Lifemed (or whoever operates them) out of ANC seems fairly popular with the pilots these days. I've been curious what a typical day rate for medevac is.

 

[ppragman]

Coming home to the motherland then? Also, Lifemed (or whoever operates them) out of ANC seems fairly popular with the pilots these days. I've been curious what a typical day rate for medevac is.

Not for awhile yet I imagine, we've got our last kiddo on the way, probably stay here for that, and I really enjoy living here - who knows, I could be a Hawaii lifer, but that's uncertain as of yet. I miss it up north, miss my family, miss the flying. That said, it's 80 degrees here, and the flying here is almost as fun.

 

[Melissa828483]

Thank you very much for the great replies everyone! Regarding the bases closing, I'm fortunate enough to live by two very large hospitals that have medevac crews, which would definitely help out! I really appreciate all of your insight and support! It sounds like a great job!

 

[gotWXdagain]

Thank you very much for the great replies everyone! Regarding the bases closing, I'm fortunate enough to live by two very large hospitals that have medevac crews, which would definitely help out! I really appreciate all of your insight and support! It sounds like a great job!

Good bet those hospitals contract with third party providers that get to brand their equipment with the hospital name. While the service will never go away, the providers can get swapped out and you work for the provider, not the hospital.

 

[jhugz]

Hi everyone!

I was just wondering if there were any medevac pilots on here that might be willing to answer some questions for me!

I've always loved aviation, and have wanted a pilot career. However, I was never excited about the airlines mostly because of their schedules. I've been considering the fixed-wing, medevac route because I truly want to help people, and their schedules appeal to me! So I was just wondering if anyone would mind answering a few questions!

1) Is it possible to make a 'life-long career' as a medevac pilot?

It is, alot of people do it. You just have to shake the SJS and be happy flying a Pilatapus or King Air around for the rest of your life. My company has a good 401k match and a union for job protection. We just bought another air ambo company and eventually it will be just 2-3 companies to work for.

2) Are you home every night?

Yes, as long as you live in base. I'm based in Phoenix now, and go home every night. Before hand I worked in Midland, and commuted for Dallas and wasn't home during my 7 on. My daughter isn't in school and my fiance doesn't work so they travel with me to other bases for overtime.

3) Is the pay decent?

Our company starts out at 65k before hard to fill stipends, holiday pay, and 12-14 time. With overtime this year, I'll make about 110K, but I worked a considerable amount of OT.

4) Lastly, what happens if you are supposed to work a 7am-7pm shift and a call comes in at 6:30pm for a two hour flight, so you don't get back until almost 10pm; do you get paid overtime for those hours or how does that work?

My company pays for any work past 12 at your hourly rate. Anything past 14 hours is time and a half.

Thank you very much for all of your help and advice!


Overall, I'm happy doing what I'm doing. I get SJS once in a while, but then I look at the QoL and pay at the airlines and most corporate gigs, and it sways me to stay. Spending time with my daughter every night is pretty awesome.