INEM helicopter did not land at the heliport because the company did not give orders to the pilots

The new INEM helicopter only failed to land at the Bragança Hospital heliport, in emergency situations, because the company that provides the service had not yet given orders to do so. A source from SPAC – Civil Aviation Pilots Union told Mensageiro that the flight sheets do not include the Bragança Hospital heliport, which already has authorization from the National Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) to receive this aerial means. However, late Tuesday afternoon the heli landed on the heliport, because when it was going to do tests on the runway it was sent for a mission.

As the heliport infrastructure continues to not obtain certification for the new helicopter model, model Aw139 (which weighs 6500 kilos and the previous one weighed 5500 kilos), which requires the fulfillment of several requirements, ANAC authorized its use which, as it is a rescue and medical emergency vehicle. However, the company had not yet given orders to the pilots to land at the heliport. “If pilots landed at this location [heliporto do Hospital de Bragança] incur a disciplinary infraction because they disobey an order from the employer. Even though there are no aeronautical problems because the pilot can decide to land wherever he wants because it is a medical emergency”, said the source.

The Local Health Unit of the Northeast announced last week that it has already received authorization from ANAC for the heliport to be able to receive the new INEM helicopter, which is parked in Macedo de Cavaleiros, as the cargo capacity has been increased in this airport infrastructure located behind the Brigantine hospital. This correction was necessary because the new model is heavier than the device used previously. However, the aerial vehicle continued to land at the Bragança Polytechnic Institute (IPB) stadium, a location that also does not have ANAC certification and that can only be used for emergency and rescue aircraft because it was approved by the company that provides the service to the INEM. “The company’s flight orders do not include the heliport, because this infrastructure is not yet certified, it only has authorization from ANAC to receive these helicopters”, indicated the SPAC.

However, helicopters working for INEM land at other national heliports, namely at the hospitals in Vila Real or Pedro Hispano (Matosinhos), which do not have certification and are only authorized and approved by ANAC for landings.

The same SPAC source added that “there are missions from Bragança that are being refused because it is not worth it in terms of time to transport patients”.

Since January 1st, the INEM rescue device allocated to Macedo de Cavaleiros began to integrate a larger helicopter, model Aw139, for which several hospital heliports, namely Bragança and Mirandela, do not have certification. Due to the lack of certification in Bragança, the helicopter started to land at the IPB stadium, since the municipal aerodrome, the first alternative to the heliport, is located about ten kilometers from the city and delayed assistance.
The Messenger tried to contact the company that provides the service to INEM, but at the closing time of this edition had not received a response.