Re: Digital messaging and automated position/status reporting fortransport teams

[Robert P Berger <firefly412@blomand.net>]

John,

Life Force Airmedical, Chattanooga, TN, has been using the ARNAV flight
position tracking system since 1995, I believe. This system uses a VHF link
to track the position of the aircraft on a 15-20 second interval. We do not
give position reports since our Flight Coordinators can see our flight track
and are able to obtain location, altitude, speed, and ETA at anytime. This
system is also able to be utilized as a messaging system by typing in the
message from Flight Operations or manually in the aircraft. In the recent
years, one of our neighboring services, Vanderbilt Life Flight, began
utilizing the same system in their aircraft. This allows them to track us
when we are in their area and visa-versa. It also allows each Flight
Operations to know where opposing aircraft flight plans may be prohibitive.
I have loved using it and it seems to facilitate cooperation between the two
services. It has capabilities for weather, collision avoidance, airspace
indicators, and many more. On a financial note, it could be used to bill for
actual flight miles, instead of "straight-line" billing in cases of
diversion around thunderstorms.

R.Berger

----- Original Message -----
From: John Welton <WELTON@son.umaryland.edu>
To: Flightmed List E-mail <flightmed@flightweb.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 10:04 AM
Subject: Digital messaging and automated position/status reporting for
transport teams


> Inquiry - is anyone using any type of digital messaging or automated
> position reporting using GPS for transports? I am putting together a pilot
> study and proof of concept to test a digital tactical messaging, automated
> position/status reporting, and real-time weather reporting system for
ground
> based transport teams (and potentially r/w f/w). This APRS system is
> currently in use by the Navy and Amateur Radio so the focus of the study
is
> technology transfer and evaluation for medical transport and mass casualty
> communications support. I need to assess whether there are any transport
> teams currently using digital messaging, e.g., CDPD, ACARS, etc. and what
> the overall need is for such a system for hospital based as well as
> tradtional prehospital EMS providers.
>
> Thanks, John
>
>
> John Welton, PhD, RN
> University of Maryland
> School of Nursing
> Assistant Professor
> Department of Education, Administration,
> Health Policy and Informatics
> Phone: 410-706-2986
> Email: welton@son.umaryland.edu
> Web URL:
>


_______________________________________________
Flightmed mailing list