Medevac

Bernoulli Fan

Bernoulli Fan

Controller
Dear Medevac Learjets,

I already know you are to be afforded priority, traffic permitting. Checking in without listening, on top of another transmission, then stepping all over everyone else making requests for direct -- will not get you direct any sooner.

Thanks.
 
I do medevacs in a Metro, and always check in with the "medevac+callsign", ATC aknowledges and if in TMA for arrival I don't ask for directs if I listen that the area is overstuffed. Eventually ATC's gonna give me a direct when they can as we can be pretty fast below 10k.

Also to be honest, being polite and knowing the overall control's situation has given us way more "directs" than if we'd have asked for it.

Granted, this is Argentina. But Baires TMA is stuffed.
 
Here's a question for you as a controller. When we file an ICAO flight plan, do you see all the options? Medevac goes in item 18 - special handling now instead of filing LN12345. But if I don't file LN I get the question every single time. "Are you medevac today? I see it in the remarks."
So, I'm guessing the new flight plans don't come to you guys in even remotely the same form that we send them?
 
Soon after they started the Status Medevac, we had this same issue:ATC didn't see us as Medevac. Turns out many controllers still don't get/see/pull the ICAO data from the system. If it's not pulled as an ICAO flight plan, they don't see the Status. I went to Fltplan.com after a flight soon after the implementation. They called DC, pulled the flight, and this is what came of it. It was filed correctly, but apparently the FAA's system isn't 100% compliant with giving the controllers all the ICAO data. So until we hear otherwise, we check the box for status medevac, but we also still file the call sign as "LNxxxx" and "MEDEVAC" in the Remarks. It's a PITA, but we've had no problems since.
 
Dugie8 said:
You guys still putting L in front of your N numbers?
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Yes. Part of the transition (on fltplan.com) was to stop filing under LN profiles and call signs because of the new box 18 (Status). After the cluster mentioned in the last post, we went back to it. I'm in the midwest and another base in CA was still having the problem last month with the ICAO flight plan data.
 
deadstick said:
Yes. Part of the transition (on fltplan.com) was to stop filing under LN profiles and call signs because of the new box 18 (Status). After the cluster mentioned in the last post, we went back to it. I'm in the midwest and another base in CA was still having the problem last month with the ICAO flight plan data.
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Yep. Still filing "LN". In AK.
 
True story...

About three years ago I was going into Norfolk with a medical emergency. They were landing west so we had to head out over the Bay on the downwind and then turn around and come back to land. We were flying a left pattern and there was a Falcon (I think?) with the old Lifeguard call sign coming in from the north. Approach turned them out bound so we could get in and they started yelling at the controller. It was one of the few times I've ever heard somebody actually yell on frequency. After about 20 seconds of that the controller ignored them, and said something like "Emergency Bluestreak XXX, contact tower... hope everything works out."

It was kind of funny, after we got the sick guy off our plane.
 
BobDDuck said:
True story...

About three years ago I was going into Norfolk with a medical emergency. They were landing west so we had to head out over the Bay on the downwind and then turn around and come back to land. We were flying a left pattern and there was a Falcon (I think?) with the old Lifeguard call sign coming in from the north. Approach turned them out bound so we could get in and they started yelling at the controller. It was one of the few times I've ever heard somebody actually yell on frequency. After about 20 seconds of that the controller ignored them, and said something like "Emergency Bluestreak XXX, contact tower... hope everything works out."

It was kind of funny, after we got the sick guy off our plane.
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Fun information. Rarely do we have someone on board that actually needs priority handling.
 
z987k said:
Here's a question for you as a controller. When we file an ICAO flight plan, do you see all the options? Medevac goes in item 18 - special handling now instead of filing LN12345. But if I don't file LN I get the question every single time. "Are you medevac today? I see it in the remarks."
So, I'm guessing the new flight plans don't come to you guys in even remotely the same form that we send them?
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I'll do some testing tomorrow, but I'm guessing all that shows up when you fill in ICAO item 18 is the usual yellow asterisk indicating remarks, unless the controller takes the time to dig into the template (unlikely). Remarks also may not get checked 100% of the time; it's best to file LN for now.
 
I have noticed this over the past few months. Seen quiet a few guys with medevac in remarks but no LN on the front. No body had any idea, atleat in my area, that is was because of hwo yall are now requested to file flight plans. As controllers all we want to see is the LN, if we dont see it we ask to verify then we change it.

Got to love the FAA....and the ICAO flight plans...ug.
 
Bernoulli Fan said:
Dear Medevac Learjets,

I already know you are to be afforded priority, traffic permitting. Checking in without listening, on top of another transmission, then stepping all over everyone else making requests for direct -- will not get you direct any sooner.

Thanks.
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I wouldn't only single out the medevac learjets; as this advice you wrote really can (and does) apply to all pilots. It's simply good operating practice.
 
The new ICAO flight plans were designed by someone with a morbid sense of humour, pretty sure there's an equipment code if the Captain wears a wingtips or loafers.
 
deadstick said:
Wellingtons....I put that in REMARKS after MEDEVAC.
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Not sure about on the Muricah side of things, but in our system, if at any time in the remarks section the letters HEAD are together, it will appear as though the aircraft has "Head of State" status.

This was caught however when Captain Headley or some similar name was flying his JS31 around flying boxes.
 
z987k said:
Here's a question for you as a controller. When we file an ICAO flight plan, do you see all the options? Medevac goes in item 18 - special handling now instead of filing LN12345. But if I don't file LN I get the question every single time. "Are you medevac today? I see it in the remarks."
So, I'm guessing the new flight plans don't come to you guys in even remotely the same form that we send them?
Click to expand...

I put in a test flight plan today, and as I suspected, when you fill in item 18, it just shows up in the remarks like any other remark. We can even go in and make you Medevac ourselves, but it's hidden in a sub-sub-template.


MikeD said:
I wouldn't only single out the medevac learjets; as this advice you wrote really can (and does) apply to all pilots. It's simply good operating practice.
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True, but when two Medevac Lears do it within 60 minutes, I feel compelled to post.
 
All I need is to know is hear "Medevac" on the initial check in. I will give you as much priority as possible after that. No need to ask for "priority handling". Your use of that callsign is an automatic flag that calls for priority.
 
I thought that even though you were now filing as a medevac on the ICAO flight plan, you were still to use the LN callsign. That is the way I read our training on it. It does show up in the remarks area of your flight plan, which shows up in URET or on the strips (if you still use them). But as the last poster said, just check-in as a medevac and you will get direct out of me as soon as I can do it. If I can do it cough cough N90....
 
klkm said:
I thought that even though you were now filing as a medevac on the ICAO flight plan, you were still to use the LN callsign. That is the way I read our training on it. It does show up in the remarks area of your flight plan, which shows up in URET or on the strips (if you still use them). But as the last poster said, just check-in as a medevac and you will get direct out of me as soon as I can do it. If I can do it cough cough N90....
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Screw no directs past BKW, cleared direct JFK. Ain't my problem! ;)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
 
N90-EWR said:
All I need is to know is hear "Medevac" on the initial check in. I will give you as much priority as possible after that. No need to ask for "priority handling". Your use of that callsign is an automatic flag that calls for priority.
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So TXKF DCT KTEB is approved? :D
 
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