Trauma Hawk Instructor Pilot Demonstrates Flight Safety Equipment Used for Lifesaving Missions

When Jostein Lavoll flies Trauma Hawk to airlift and transport traumatically injured patients, special safety equipment is guiding his flight.  Both of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County's Trauma Hawk air ambulances are equipped with Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems to detect and alert pilots to obstacles below, like power lines and communication towers. Lavoll, an Instructor Pilot with the Health Care District's Trauma Hawk Aeromedical Program, showed WPTV Newschannel 5 how the safety system is an important tool in the mission of delivering patients for time-dependent, lifesaving care.

"This system helps identify obstacles in the flight path by displaying different colors and symbology on the screen in the cockpit and providing voice notification that gives pilots a heads up," Lavoll said.  "This is especially important on days where there is reduced visibility."  

The Health Care District installed the safety equipment on both aircraft in 2016, one year before the Federal Aviation Administration mandated it for all helicopter air ambulances in the United States.

Watch the story that aired on January 29, 2020 during the 6 pm newscast on WPTV News Channel 5