Riley Aviation has been granted FAA certification to operate as an air ambulance service.
Based at Kirsh Municipal Airport in Sturgis, Michigan, the company will serve as a fixed-wing, air ambulance designed to transport medical patients to and from the United States, Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.
Private charter operations will continue as usual for most of the Riley fleet, but Riley equipped two of its Cessna Citation light jets with LifePort, Inc., medical equipment, which features a single-patient system that has advanced life support (ALS) services fully contained in its modular base. It also features a stretcher loading system that allows easy patient loading through a standard aircraft door, according to Riley officials.
To qualify as an air ambulance, aircraft must be equipped with at least medical oxygen, suction and a stretcher, isolette or other approved patient restraint/containment device, officials note. Each flight must also have at least two medical personnel, such as critical care registered nurses (RN), paramedics or respiratory therapists.
“We have a long history of providing comfortable, convenient flights to people needing special treatment at the Mayo Clinic and other regional medical centers,” explained Riley President David Riley. “We’ve always been interested in taking the necessary steps to become an air ambulance service; now, finally seemed to be the right time.”
Riley will support a 24-hour response phone line and employ trained medical personnel for in-flight medical care.
For more information: 800-247-2834 or FlyRiley.com.
