3 Consecutive Missions Back-to-Back

As Kestrel grew, the trust our clients has with us grew too. With more missions, came more responsibilities. We did our first back to back mission in January 2018. What is a back to back mission? It means we use one singular aircraft for the next few days for 3 different missions. This highlights the dynamic nature of aeromedical evacuations and the need for flexibility, quick decision making and robust contingency planning.

Our first 3 consecutive missions back-to-back, Singapore to Dhaka, went on smoothly. It was a lady who just wanted to fly back to the comforts of her home. Our second patient, Bangkok to Doha, was a man who had a lot of complications. It took him a really long time to get an approval for a Fit-To-Fly from the doctor. His case was really sensitive that it had to be done quickly while ensuring that he is given everything he needs. Our last patient, Bangalore to Singapore, was a lady who had recovered from breast cancer and later had the cancer spread to other different parts of her body. She was to be brought to Singapore for further treatment.

As anyone would have know, every mission has its own complications. Initially, we were meant to bring the man from Bangkok to Doha first but his condition deteriorated and became unfit just before boarding. Our team had to reprioritise and took the Singapore patient first then returned to Bangkok once the patient was stabalised in the hospital.

As each mission was unique on its own, we also had different medical equipments that is required for each one. This also means our doctors have to accommodate uniquely to each patient.

Our second 3 consecutive missions back-to-back was firstly a case from Singapore to Pune. The patient was a tourist in Singapore and he collapsed while he was in Universal Studios Singapore. It was known that he felt unwell and sat down before collapsing. He was lucky that a bystander knew CPR as it took awhile before the RWS Medic arrived. He was also given 3x shocks using the AED. As he wasn’t in a good condition, he was repatriated back to Pune. The following mission was from New Delhi to Kumamoto. As we were heading to Japan, our aircraft slots and hospital bed availability. This underscore the importance of strong local partnerships and real-time coordination. Our final destination for this back-to-back was Shanghai to Singapore. Patient had a relapse after his bone marrow transplant of four months and suffered shortness of breath for six days. He was brought in to Singapore for further treatment.

We not only faced complications in the Medical field. We also faced many obstacles with the airport destination.

With that, here's a breakdown of the key challenges and considerations for these missions:

1. Real-Time Coordination: With the need to revolve all coordination and timing around the Kumamoto leg, Kestrel Aero had to engage in real-time communication with all stakeholders, including air traffic control, hospitals, and ground transportation providers.

2. Flexibility: The team needed to be flexible and ready to adjust plans on short notice. This includes having alternative routes, schedules, and even medical teams on standby.

3. Local Partnerships: Establishing and maintaining strong relationships with local service providers, such as hospitals and ground handlers, is crucial for navigating logistical challenges like those encountered in Kumamoto.

4. Resource Management: Managing the availability of aircraft and medical teams across multiple missions requires careful planning and the ability to quickly reallocate resources as needed.

5. Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring that all flights comply with local and international regulations adds another layer of complexity, especially when dealing with last-minute changes.

6. Patient Care Continuity: Throughout these operations, maintaining the continuity of patient care is paramount. This involves seamless handovers between medical teams and ensuring that patient condition and treatment plans are well-documented and communicated.

7. Stress Management: For the crew and medical teams, the pressure of back-to-back missions can be significant. Managing stress and maintaining peak performance are essential for the success of each mission.

Kestrel Aero's successful execution of these complex back-to-back missions is a testament to their expertise in aeromedical operations. Our ability to navigate the challenges of patient care, logistics, and real-time coordination while ensuring safety and efficiency is a key factor in our ability to provide cost savings to clients and deliver high-quality medical transport services.