Pilots question Lole’s choice to fly INEM helicopters at night

This Saturday, the Union of Civil Aviation Pilots questioned the possibility of using Loule as one of INEM’s helicopter bases for night operations in the first half of 2024, as well as changes to Macedo de Cavaleiros with “operational restrictions”.

In a statement sent to Lusa, the Union of Civil Aviation Pilots (SPAC) “condemns the planning errors” and the “bizarre choices” made by the company responsible for operating four helicopters of the National Institute of Emergency Medicine (INEM), Avincis and INEM itself, which supports the operation of the bases Macedo de Cavaleiros and Loule at night, in contrast to what happened when the pilots went on strike in November.

At the time, the minimum service decree ensured the availability of the Macedo de Cavaleiros and Évora bases – an option that would have guaranteed “better national coverage of assistance to the population” within 24 hours in a scenario where only two bases were operational, he argues.

“The SPAC asks who would benefit from this option, which is contrary to the government’s option as well as the interests of the public and emergency relief. We want to believe that the fact that the national director of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service is also the Regional Director of INEM in the Algarve and the joint affiliation of the base in Lola is just a coincidence,” the union said in a statement.

The SPAC also questions the option of changing the model of the helicopter operated at the Macedo de Cavaleiros base, which will cease to be an Aw109 and become an Aw139, a fact that “puzzles” the union due to the “operational restrictions” that this entails, since it The model cannot, as indicated by the SPAC, land at the hospitals of Bragança, Mirandela and the “main destination heliport” in Massarelos to transport patients to the Santo Antonio hospital in Porto.

“These restrictions, which will force landings on football fields to disembark patients going to hospitals at other times and under normal conditions, will be more than sufficient to prevent the use of the Aw139 model in this region, putting the real interest of the population first,” criticizes trade union.

The SPAC also raises questions related to pilot work hours and schedules, calling into question the fact that the two bases that will operate 24 hours a day – Loule and Macedo de Cavaleiros – will only have 12 pilots assigned to duty in the month of January. and on the other second, Évora and Viseu, which will only operate for 12 hours, from 8:00 to 20:00, with 20 pilot projects planned for this month.

“How can you explain that with 20 pilots, Avinsis cannot guarantee the operation of helicopters for 24 hours (Viseu and Évora), while in Lola and Macedo de Cavaleiros (12 pilots in total) it can guarantee this? (…) the reduction in assistance from INEM helicopters at night over the next six months will not be the responsibility of its pilots! The SPAC cannot remain indifferent to these planning errors, as well as the excuse that it cannot maintain its 24/7 service,” he adds.

INEM announced on Thursday it would halve the number of helicopters in service at night, explaining that the adjustment was the result of a market consultation in which the institute received only two responses, one of which contained a solution that would be implemented from January.

Speaking to Lusa, INEM President Luis Meira explained that the amount available for this service has increased from 7.5 to 12 million euros per year.

And he said that during the public consultation that was held to maintain the service until the end of the international competition that will take place, of the two companies that responded, one presented values ​​​​exceeding the limits, and the other – the current one stated that it could only serve two helicopters 24 hours a day day.

The official said he expected this situation to last for a maximum of six months and that after the tender, four helicopters available 24 hours a day would return.