Coast Guard medevacs teenager off Carnival cruise ship near Galveston, Texas

MH-65 Dolphin, ©USCG

HOUSTON — A Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew medevaced a 14-year-old male Sunday morning from a cruise ship 109 miles southeast of Galveston.

The cruise ship Carnival Valor contacted Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders requesting medical assistance for a male aboard reportedly experiencing symptoms of appendicitis.

The aircrew arrived on scene and hoisted the male and his grandfather for transport to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

The male was reported to be in stable condition at the time of the transfer.

Weather on scene was reported to be calm seas and winds 11-13 mph.

-USCG-

SIKORSKY CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER OPERATIONS IN LATIN AMERICA

Continued production and new mission capabilities ensure the Black Hawk helicopter will remain operational around the world for decades

SANTIAGO, Chile, April 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 2018 marks 30 years of operations for the Black Hawk helicopter in Latin America, since the Colombian Air Force took delivery of its first five UH-60A aircraft in 1988. Designed and manufactured by Sikorsky, now a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), the twin engine medium-lift Black Hawk has become synonymous with the successful defense of territorial sovereignty, providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, combatting drug trafficking, performing search and rescue missions, surveilling coastlines and borders, and transporting heads of state.

"We congratulate and thank the 11 government agencies and armed forces across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico for showing the world how to adapt and operate the Black Hawk helicopter for critical missions that serve and protect their citizens," said Adam Schierholz, Sikorsky regional executive for Latin America. "Continued confidence in the Black Hawk by these countries during the past three decades stems from the aircraft's unequaled rugged military design, which translates to predictable reliability and performance in flight, effectiveness in combat, and the availability of strong product support to ensure high operational readiness."

"The Black Hawk has proven to be a unique and strategic tool for the Colombian Air Force that has allowed us to perform some of the most challenging missions in very extreme conditions," said Gen. Carlos Eduardo Bueno, Chief of the Colombian Air Force. "We join in celebrating this milestone anniversary, and look forward to many more years of effective utilization of these fine machines with the help and support of our friends at Sikorsky."

Since 1988, Sikorsky has delivered 174 Hawk aircraft to the region, which includes six Seahawk® variants to the Brazil Navy. The total will climb to 180 during 2018 when the Chilean Air Force takes delivery of six S-70i Black Hawk aircraft for military and humanitarian missions.

A Look Back Country-specific operations include:

• Colombia: As the largest Black Hawk customer in Latin America, the Colombian Air Force, Colombian Army and Colombian National Police have collectively taken delivery of 103 aircraft, including seven S-70i digital cockpit variants in 2013. Carrying out diverse combat missions such as attack, MEDEVAC, CASEVAC, and Air Assault, these aircraft have played an essential role to defend and regain territorial control during the Colombian Conflict.
• Mexico: With the region's second largest Black Hawk fleet, Mexico has acquired 48 aircraft — UH-60L and UH-60M variants — since 1991 for its Navy, Air Force and Federal Police to fight drug traffickers and crime syndicates. In 2011, the State of Jalisco took delivery of one S-70i. 
• Brazil: In 2017, two Air Force squadrons — the 7/8 'Harpia' air group based in Manaus, and the 5/6 'Pantera' air group in Santa Maria — achieved 30,000 flight hours for all 16 UH-60L aircraft. The same year, the Exército Brasileiro commemorated its 20th anniversary operating four S-70A Black Hawk aircraft. The Brazil Navy operates six S-70B Seahawk aircraft.
• Chile: The Chile Air Force has operated one S-70A aircraft since 1998 in a multirole capacity.
• Argentina: Argentina's Presidencia has operated one S-70A for head of state transport since 1994.

A Look Ahead Sikorsky continues to build UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft for the U.S. Army, which is expected to operate the platform into the 2070s. In March, Sikorsky began production of the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter designed for long-distance missions.

Sikorsky continues to build the S-70i, a digital Black Hawk variant customized to the preferences of international militaries.

In 2018, Sikorsky will field two new mission capabilities for the Black Hawk:

• An aerial firefighting system, complete with belly tank, which can be easily retrofitted to the region's existing UH-60L and S-70i fleets
• A sophisticated weapons system for the S-70i and S-70M models that enables either pilot to engage static or moving targets with high accuracy using forward firing guns, rockets and laser-designated air-to-ground missiles

Further out, Sikorsky is developing an optionally piloted capability for the digital Black Hawk with the intelligence and autonomy to carry out missions with two, one or zero crew on board.

Customer focus: US Coast Guard

In 2016, US Coast Guard aviation celebrated its 100th anniversary. This service has an illustrious history helping with everything from war efforts to bolstering US borders in homeland security. Below, a closer look.

Article: Heather Couthaud - Photos: US Coast Guards

Article adapted from Rotor magazine.

They changed to orange for missions in the Arctic. Traditionally, US Coast Guard aircraft bear the distinctive “racing stripe” paint scheme – a white body marked with a red and blue stripe. Aboard ice-breakers in the Arctic, someone realised the Coast Guard needed a helicopter livery that would be visible against the snow. Today, its fleet of 100 MH-65* helicopters are painted a bold orange, a sign of the Coast Guard’s versatility in the face of need. Versatility serves in good stead; the Coast Guard is tasked with ensuring the United States’ maritime safety, security and stewardship. A military service and a branch of the armed forces, its missions include search and rescue, homeland security, environmental protection, the interdiction of illegal drugs and migrants, and the enforcement of fisheries laws.

A high volume of missions

It is a visibly huge service. With a total workforce of more than 87,000 – 40,000 of whom are on active duty – the Coast Guard’s presence is recognisable to nearly anyone who has seen its helicopters pass overhead or its boats buzz harbours. The huge ice breakers and cutters – 243 in total – are perhaps its most iconic symbols, yet its 2 groups of smaller “assets” – boats and aircraft – are more ubiquitous, accomplishing a high volume of varied missions. “The Coast Guard is a phenomenal service because we adapt to what is needed,” says Commander Scott Sanborn, operations officer and chief pilot of Air Station Houston. “Depending on the mission requirement, the Coast Guard is always ready to respond with an aircraft, a boat, a cutter, or a combination of assets. We will find a way to make it work.”

201 planes and rotorcraft comprise its airborne fleet. In 1985, the Coast Guard began procuring Aerospatiale HH-65 helicopters* and assigning them to air stations— bases serving a particular geographic region. As the Coast Guard’s primary short-range rescue aircraft, they are equipped with a rescue basket, hoist and sling, and, if necessary, a litter or dewatering pump. A SAR crew comprises 2 pilots, a flight mechanic, and an EMT rescue swimmer.

The Coast Guard service can call on more than 87,000 members, of whom 40,000 are on active duty.

“Carry a signalling device”

Over the course of an 18-year career in which he’s seen his share of rescues, Sanborn’s advice to boaters is: notify someone where you’ll be going and how long you’ll be out, carry a signalling device and wear a life jacket. Spotting a man overboard isn’t always easy. One such case occurred last year. Two fishermen in Galveston Bay went overboard when their boat swamped. The Coast Guard was alerted when the men didn’t arrive back when they were due. For two days, Coast Guard crews searched but, though they located the boat, they couldn’t find the men. On their last leg, with minimal fuel remaining, they spotted something from the window. “He was hanging onto an abandoned oil platform,” says Sanborn. “He’d spent two days there. Finally, he took off his shirt and got the crew’s attention by swinging it around over his head.” Sanborn adds that people who join the service do so because they want to help others. “In the Coast Guard, you get talented folks who are motivated to find a way. There’s a lot of creativity to come up with a solution.”

*MH-65 helicopter: a variant of the Dauphin, it is an enhancement of the HH-65 initial version operated by the USCG.

Coast Guard medevacs 83-year-old cruise ship passenger off NC coast

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, hoists an ailing cruise ship passenger about 160 miles off the North Carolina coast, May 11, 2018. The crew was notified at 10:30 a.m. that an 83-year-old woman aboard the cruise ship was suffering symptoms of renal failure and needed a medical evacuation. (U.S. Coast Guard video, courtesy of Air Station Elizabeth City/Released)

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A Coast Guard aircrew medevaced an 83-year-old woman suffering symptoms of renal failure aboard a cruise ship approximately 160 miles southeast of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Friday afternoon.

The captain aboard the cruise ship Anthem of the Seas contacted watchstanders at the Fifth District Command Center in Portsmouth at 10:30 a.m. to request a medical evacuation.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and an HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Elizabeth City launched to assist the ailing passenger.

The helicopter crew hoisted the woman, her family member and a nurse aboard, then transported them to Norfolk Sentara General Hospital in Norfolk.

“Our main priority during emergencies like these is to reach the person as quickly as possible and deliver them to higher care,” said Lt. j.g. Catherine Taylor Pravia, operations unit controller for the case. “Our thoughts are with this patient and her family, and we wish her a speedy recovery.”

-USCG-

Coast Guard medevacs man near Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana

Video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis Magee

An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans medevacs a man with a leg injury from a vessel near Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, May 10, 2018. The person was taken to a hospital in Gulfport, Mississippi, in stable condition.

NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard medevaced a person from a vessel near Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, Thursday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Alabama, received a report at approximately 4:20 p.m. that a person aboard a vessel received a leg injury.

Sector watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans to assist the person.

The aircrew arrived on scene at approximately 6:40 p.m., hoisted the individual and transported them to a hospital in Gulfport, Mississippi, in stable condition.

-USCG-

Coast Guard medevacs man from tugboat in Chatham Strait, Alaska

A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka helicopter crew medevaced a man from the 83-foot tugboat Maia H 30 miles east of Sitka, Alaska, in the Chatham Strait, May 9, 2018. The aircrew hoisted the man from the tugboat and safely transferred him to awaiting emergency medical personnel in Sitka for further medical care.
U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Sitka.

KODIAK, Alaska - A Coast Guard Air Station Sitka helicopter crew medevaced a man from an 83-foot tugboat Wednesday morning in Chatham Strait, Alaska.

An Air Station Sitka MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted a 61-year-old man from the tugboat Maia H 34 miles east of Sitka.

After the aircrew hoisted the man from the Maia H, they transferred him safely to awaiting emergency medical personnel in Sitka for further medical care.

Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders received notification from the Maia H’s crew reporting that the captain was experiencing possible symptoms of a stroke. A flight surgeon for the 17th Coast Guard District recommended a medevac, and Sector Juneau watchstanders directed the launch of an Air Station Sitka helicopter crew.

“The tugboat’s crew was monitoring the captain’s vitals, and they did a great job to get the man positioned for the hoist,” said Petty Officer 3^rd Class Tyler Sojka, an aviation survival technician at Air Station Sitka, who assisted with the hoist. “It was an efficient hoist, and we were able to get the man to EMS quickly.”

Weather at the time of the hoist was 25-mph winds with 2-foot seas.

-USCG-

Coast Guard medevacs disoriented, diabetic man from grounded boat near Little Egg Inlet, NJ

PHILADELPHIA – The Coast Guard medevaced a diabetic man, who had become disoriented and grounded his boat near Little Egg Inlet, Saturday.

The man’s daughter contacted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay and reported that her father was disoriented on the rocks near Golden Nugget Hotel and possibly required insulin.

The watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Atlantic City to search.

After not being able to locate the man where he was reported, watchstanders worked with the cell phone company to identify his possible location, leading the aircrew to find him on the southern side of Little Egg Inlet.

They hoisted him aboard and took him to Air Station Atlantic City to meet EMS for potential treatment.

-USCG-

Coast Guard aircrew medevacs vessel crewmember near Cape Blanco, Ore.

U.S. Coast Guard video.

A Coast Guard aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Sector North Bend medevac’d a crewmember from the 36-foot fishing vessel Lacie Belle and transported him to medical personnel at the Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay.

The mariner was reportedly suffering seizures and was airlifted from the vessel about 10 miles north of Cape Blanco, Friday.

COOS BAY, Ore. -- A Coast Guard aircrew medically evacuated a mariner reportedly suffering from seizures while aboard a vessel 10 miles north of Cape Blanco, Friday.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Sector North Bend medevac’d the crewmember from the 36-foot vessel Lacie Belle and transported him to medical personnel at the Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay.

Watchstanders at Sector North Bend received a request for medical assistance from a Lacie Belle crewmember at 5:25 p.m.

Boat crews from Coast Guard Station Coos Bay and Coast Guard Cutter Orcas diverted to the scene.

The aircrew arrived on scene at 5:54 p.m., completed the hoist at 6:08 p.m., and transferred the mariner at 6:28 p.m. to the hospital medical staff.

-USCG-

Coast Guard medevacs 5 injured boaters

Photo: US Coast Guard, MH-65 Dolphin helicopter

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard medevaced five injured boaters 23 nautical miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana, Sunday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a Mayday call on VHF-FM Channel 16 at 12:03 a.m. from a boater stating they had struck a decommissioned rig and multiple persons on board had suffered injuries.

Watchstanders directed the launch of a Response Boat – Medium boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Venice and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans.

The Air Station New Orleans aircrew hoisted two patients, one suffering a broken leg and the other suffering a broken arm and possible collapsed lung. The aircrew transferred the patients to University Medical Center New Orleans in unknown condition.

The Station Venice boatcrew medevaced three patients with minor injuries and transferred them to waiting emergency medical services at Station Venice. The patients were reported to be in stable condition.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

-USCG-

Coast Guard medevacs 71-year-old cruise ship passenger off NJ coast

Video: U.S. Coast Guard District 5, Air Station Atlantic City

A Coast Guard aircrew medevacs an ailing man from a cruise ship about 51 miles east of Ocean City, New Jersey, Friday, April 27, 2018. An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched from Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey, hoisted the 71-year-old man and brought him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A Coast Guard aircrew medevaced a 71-year-old man suffering from possible kidney failure aboard a cruise ship approximately 51 miles east of Ocean City, New Jersey, Friday evening.

The captain aboard the cruise ship Anthem of the Seas contacted watchstanders at the Fifth District Command Center in Portsmouth at 6:20 p.m. to request a medical evacuation.

An MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew from Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey, launched to assist the ailing man. The helicopter aircrew hoisted the man aboard and brought him to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.

“It is imperative to alert the Coast Guard to these emergencies as soon as possible,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Reaves, operations unit controller at the command center. “In this case, the timely notification allowed our crews to reach the man and deliver him to higher medical care quickly and efficiently.”

-USCG-

Coast Guard medevacs 65-year-old woman 50 miles east of Charleston

Video: U.S. Coast Guard District 7 PADET Jacksonville

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston hoists a 65-year-old woman suffering from lower leg pain Thursday, April 26, 2018, while aboard the cruise ship Veendam 50 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina. The woman was transported to the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital. (U.S. Coast Guard video courtesy of Air Station Clearwater)

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Coast Guard medevaced a 65-year-old woman Thursday from a cruise ship 50 miles east of Charleston.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard's 7th District Command Center received a call from a crewmember aboard the cruise ship, Veendam, stating a passenger was suffering from lower leg pain.

A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Facility Charleston arrived on scene at 7:31 p.m., hoisted the passenger and transported her to the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital.

A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater HC-130 Hercules aircraft also launched to support communications coverage.

-USCG-

Nakanihon Air Service: Japanese Aviation Company Meeting All Your Aerial Needs

BELL 429

Operating from Nagoya Airport for 65 years, Nakanihon Air Service (NAS) provides a very broad scope of aviation services ranging from charter flights to goods transportation, medevac, aerial survey and photography. In addition, NAS can provide solutions for all your aerial needs, such as aircraft repair and maintenance including the helicopters manufactured by Bell.

NAS recently purchased two Bell 429s for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), where they will transport doctors and nurses to emergency sites quickly with various medical equipment. Bell 429 is a popular choice for HEMS because of its spacious cabin that accommodates two medical litters. The head of NAS pilot training department, Yoshiaki Ogino, agrees that Bell 429 is the perfect choice for their missions. “Some of my colleagues said, ‘Bell 429 realizes very smooth flight and passengers feel almost no vibration,’ and ‘It is much more comfortable compared with the other Bell helicopters we have had,’” said Ogino. “Comments from pilots are quite important because they have a lot of experience with helicopter operation.”

One of the Bell 429’s biggest assets are the low vibrations during flight, allowing for passengers to experience extremely smooth ride. Ogino says that the comfortable ride will enable doctors and nurses to focus more on their work without worrying about the unsteadiness of the aircraft. The smooth ride also eliminates any chances of passengers getting ill from unsettling movements.