NATIVE AIR INTRODUCES NIGHT VISION GOGGLES TO ITS PAYSON, ARIZ.-BASED AIR MEDICAL SERVICES HELICOPTER

Marks First Time this State-of-the-art Advanced Technology is being utilized in RIM Country

PAYSON, Ariz.  …  July 28, 2009 … Native Air, a leading provider of air medical services and an Omniflight Helicopters company, announced today that its helicopter that serves the Payson area has become fully operational with Night Vision Goggles (NVG), effective July 20, 2009.

All night time flights in and out of Payson Regional Medical Center handled by Native Air’s AS-350B3, will employ NVG technology.

NVG, a fairly recent technological advancement to debut within the air medical transport services industry, provides significantly better visibility at night, therefore enabling potentially safer air transports.

The helmet-mounted NVG technology allows for safer operation in low-light conditions, due to its ability to amplify light 30,000-50,000 times.  NVG allows pilots and crews to see light that is not visible to the human eye.  With NVG, it is easier to identify hazards and accident scenes and avoid mountains as well as other potential interferences.  In addition, flights to remote areas that were prohibited in the past can now be considered due to amplification of the light and this NVG capability.
“Safety is at the forefront of all we do here at Native Air and Omniflight,” said Anthony J. DiNota, Omniflight’s president and chief operating officer.  The implementation of NVG in Payson is a significant investment that demonstrates our financial commitment to the community and a tangible benefit for its residents.  We are pleased to have the financial resources to make such investments in safety, and this roll out is indicative of such dedication.  Our investment in the Payson operation includes the goggles and the reconfiguration to the aircraft, with the addition of special lighting.  Native Air has served the Payson area since 2002 and with the addition of NVG, we can now provide more comprehensive service at night.”

“In certain instances in the past, we have had to decline missions into dark areas when there was no moon,” added Bill Irland, regional aviation manager at Native Air.  “Pilots need to have a visual reference with the horizon to safely and legally fly on any transport.  There are parts of northern Gila County where this is sometimes not possible.  The NVG assists in locating the accident scene and helps pilots avoid hazards during landings and take offs,”

All Native Air’s in-flight medical crews are all certified in NVG, having completed training.  Pilots are also required to do a proficiency check with FAA-certified inspectors.

Native Air operates 13 helicopter bases and three airplane locations in the state; seven of which are NVG-equipped.  The remainder will be NVG-capable by mid-2010.

About Omniflight and Native Air

Mesa, Ariz.-based Native Air is a division of Omniflight Helicopters, Inc. of Addison, Texas, and provides air medical services throughout Arizona.

Omniflight is a leading provider of air medical services throughout the U.S.  The company owns 100 aircraft nationally, and operates from 74 bases in 18 states, with a strong presence across the Southwest, Midwest, and Southeast regions.  Its focus is primarily on inter-facility transport and on-site emergency scene response using both rotor and fixed-wing aircraft.

For more information, please visit www.omniflight.com.