ROLE OF PILOT INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY IN THE SAFETY OF HELICOPTER EMERGENCY MEDICAL-SERVICES

Objectives: To determine whether instrument-proficient pilots would mo re safely manage a flight into unplanned instrument meteorologic condi tions (IMC) than would nonproficient pilots. Methods: A controlled exp erimental study was pel formed using a full-motion helicopter simulato r, Participants were emergency medical services (EMS) pilots with comm ercial licenses and previous simulator experience who were blinded to the study design and hypothesis, During a simulated EMS mission, cloud ceiling and visibility were decreased until IMC prevailed, and pilot actions were recorded. Data included the altitude at which the aircraf t entered IMC, and whether the pilots maintained control of the aircra ft, flew within aviation standards (i.e., bank angle, airspeed), and s afely landed. Results: Twenty-eight pilots (13 instrument-proficient, 15 nonproficient) participated; they had a median of 6,300 hours of he licopter experience. Two pilots crashed, both from the nonproficient g roup, The instrument-proficient pilots lost control less often (15% vs 67%, p < 0.05), maintained instrument standards more often (77% vs 40 %, p < 0.05), and entered IMC at a higher altitude (689 feet vs 517 fe et, p < 0.05) compared with the nonproficient pilots. Instructor comme nts indicated that the nonproficient pilots made more errors than did the instrument-proficient pilots. Conclusions: Instrument-proficient p ilots more safely manage an unexpected encounter with IMC, Helicopter EMS programs should strongly consider maintaining instrument proficien cy to enhance safety.