By Per Christiansen, , Danish Aerotech
SubscribeAt Danish Aerotech A/S the crisis in the former Yugoslavia and close co-operation with the Royal Danish Air Force formed the basis for developing a modern and effective aero medical evacuation system.
Since the first modules were launched in 1996, constant improvements have been made, and today the “AirEvac” module produced by Danish Aerotech is a unique solution to your Medevac needs.
Bringing back wounded soldiers to a Danish hospital if necessary, and 
providing optimal medical treatment during transportation, has high priority with the Danish Government. But as the situation is something one never hopes for, the RDAF was looking for a solution to the problem which would fulfill the need without tying one or more aircrafts to the sole purpose.
During the first Gulf War a Boeing 737 was chartered and converted into an aero medical evacuation configuration with a capacity of 40 patients. Later, during peacetime, the RDAF based its Medevac on flying one or two intensive care ambulances in the cargo bay of its C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. This provided excellent conditions for the patients, but they could only carry 2-4 of them at the time, and the cramped space did not provide optimal conditions for the medical staff.
Standardization and Flexibility is the Strength
In designing the AirEvac module, one of the key words therefore was flexibility. The module itself is constructed on a standard cargo pallet, which allows any non-dedicated transport aircraft to function in this new capacity, thus increasing the number of duties it can perform.
The module is manufactured in a composite sandwich construction, which insulates the walls against vibrations and noise and allows for normal conversation to take place inside the module. Each AirEvac module can carry up to 12 people on stretchers as well as four crew members.
The desired number of stretchers, however, will depend on the need for observation and treatment of the patients en route. For intensive care, for instance, the number of stretchers can be reduced to give space for adding various monitoring equipment next to the patients.
The AirEvac module contains the equipment, environment, and systems necessary to perform medical treatment up to and including emergency operations and intensive care – in other words, a flying ER. Therefore all stretcher positions are equipped with oxygen outlets, suction and electrical power.
A Quick-Change Solution
The existing AirEvac Modules are constructed to fit into the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The AirEvac modular system can, however, be modified to fit into any larger transport aircraft with a rear loading ramp. Even though the AirEvac modules are produced for Medical Evacuation use, the system can be converted to other configurations such as VIP, Command & Control, passenger transport etc.
The modular system is very flexible and can be loaded and unloaded in minutes. A transport carrier such as the C-130 can carry one or two modules, which means up to 24 patients on stretchers per aircraft. When using two modules, they are pushed together over a rubber seal, forming one room allowing for communication between staff.
The AirEvac modules have been in operational use within the RDAF with success. The concept on which the AirEvac modules are constructed allows the modules to be used not only in the air, but also to be unloaded at a given destination, hooked up to an external power source and used locally as an Emergency Medical Treatment Center. After use the AirEvac modules can be transported either by air or road.
So with the AirEvac and other modules from Danish Aerotech A/S, your aircraft is not limited to what it can do, but what you want it to do.
Author:
Per E. Christiansen, Senior Advisor and Program Manager on the AirEvac.
Phone: +45 9962 6331
E-mail: per.christiansen@aerotech.dk
