Air ambulance career

[Romanpro]

Hi everyone,
Just curious if the king-air career path (air ambulance is the main focus) is better than airlines? Especially in terms of costs of training and better start conditions with higher salary?
Heard some folks saying that air ambulance job is good paid and better paid for newcomers than airlines, no deadheading and has better schedules.
So, is it really worth to choose that path? Can you share your opinion or heard from somebody who is working there? Is it better to start from there?

[canadian_aviator_4]

No. Safety, long term pay, flight benefits, non abusive management. All of this and more do not exist in medevac.

[TrilliumFlt]

I think one of the provincial government supported operations could be very rewarding for some people. In Ontario Ornge is a career destination for some, similarly the NFLD government department as well. The Quebec operation is favored by many in that province. I think Saskatchewan has a government funded operation, they advertise positions occasionally on the site. I do not know what the other province may or may not have set-up but I could see it being a very rewarding career if it fit with your personal lifestyle choices.

[co-joe]

If you like living in a smaller northern city, then yes it can be a great career. I've known several people to stay on King Airs their whole career. Job security only lasts as long as the company you work for has the contract though. Even provincial government jobs come and go with political changes.

[Romanpro]

Thanks for replies. And how about the costs for training to become employed? The main thing that brought my attention to medevac is the very high cost to be possibly employed by airliners.

[ant_321]

It’s the same training.

[N181CS]

Every job is a different experience for every person. If you are ok with 15h duty days and either being 24h on call with 1h to report or on hot reserve doing a 12h shift that switches between night and day shift, it might be for you. only a few have flight bennis and some are rotations.

Most southern medevac are within the province flying. They are to the northern strips for the most part, unless you are on a jet medevac. Most also don’t have any sort of washroom and with the coffee intake that can be an issue.

My opinion, it’s a great way to build your time and get to fly into a wide variety of places. You can make good money especially if your young. But beware of the golden handcuffs. You will be home every night if you live where you work but you may not want to live where you work. Best bet if you can’t move the whole fam jam is a rotation. You only travel 2 times a month and normally don’t have to have a second place. Rotations can suck if you have kids but so can frequently commuting.

Try it out and see if it works for your life. Talk is cheap.

[Romanpro]

Thanks for replies.

[‘Bob’]

Every job is a different experience for every person. If you are ok with 15h duty days and either being 24h on call with 1h to report or on hot reserve doing a 12h shift that switches between night and day shift, it might be for you. only a few have flight bennis and some are rotations.

I’m pretty sure new duty regs killed this even for medevac.

Even before new duty regs, the only operators who were doing this were either in the territories or Manitoba and eastward.

[Romanpro]

So, the wise road will be to complete training and try to go to airlines, but you will have to make hours. For this purpose FI or medevac road will be suitable for the first time?

[Heavy Rayn]

Something to consider is you likely will not be employable as a first officer in a medevac operation until you hit 500 hours. That’s the experience minimum for FO’s in Ontario, I’d assume it’s similar across Canada. Captains in Ontario are 2000 TT, ATPL and 500 MPIC (or PIC if flying SE). This can be hard to acquire. Some operations have a charter side of things which will allow you to accrue multi PIC. It’s not difficult to achieve, but it’s not as easy as it may seem either.

[porcsord]

I’m pretty sure new duty regs killed this even for medevac.

Medevacs are exempt from the new duty regulations.

[goingnowherefast]

I guess the most fatiguing job in our industry doesn't need fatigue protections

Back and forth across the clock, constant on call after min rest. Medevac operators must have a strong lobby group.

[turbo-prop]

I’m pretty sure new duty regs killed this even for medevac.

Medevacs are exempt from the new duty regulations.

Medevac operations has its own section in the CAR's for duty regs in 703.