http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N137MH
The flight was between Frederick, MD and Gaithersburg, MD.
My questions are:
Why does the tracker show a 1 minute flight duration? It should be a minimum of 15-20 minutes.
When I view all flights in & out of KFDK, this flight appears in red. What does that mean?
They can canceled IFR and went VFR?
The flight that you saw was run by a PHI Helicopter, an aeromedical services company. While not too common because of the short range and the inability to fly in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (by company policy) with pax, it is very rare for them to file as a Life Guard flight. It is just more common for them to just announce on the radios that they are life flight, air med, PHI, whatever call sign they use.
Because it was filed as a life guard aircraft, the identifier is labeled red to distinguish it from others.
Additionally, because it is a helicopter and most fly so low that radar coverage is next to impossible, the track may have been lost or the flight canceled IFR procedures early, that is why it only showed up as 1 minute because that is how long coverage was available.
It also says Lifeguard right beside the tail number & picture on this flight.
Permanent link to flight in question:
flightaware.com/live/flight/N137 … /KFDK/KGAI
Just an FYI - the address you posted will show the last flight flown, or a current flight if the aircraft is flying at the time the link is clicked. If you click on the link under “DATE” for the flight in question, it will change the URL to the specific flight in question. Copy-n-paste that new address as a link to a specific flight.
To answer your questions, helicopters typically fly VFR. I agree with flyboy97222 in that they probably filed IFR to takeoff, and cancelled and started flying VFR when they got into some better weather.
The flight will appear in red when it’s a “lifeguard” flight (air ambulance, carrier of donor organs, etc.).
Edit: Always a day late and three dollars short…
Might it also have something to do with transponder code assignments near the Washington DC restricted airspace?
PHI (formerly Petroleum Helicopters Inc) is more into oil industry support than EMS (emergency medical services). Out of their dozens of helicopters, only about 5 or so are equipped for EMS. That said, any flight can be a lifeguard flight. Even airline flights could be a lifeguard flight if it’s carrying body parts for transplants.
Concord977: If you plan on using FlightAware a lot, it would make your time spent here more meaningful if you would read the Questions/Answers section. It’s available at the top right of every screen in FlightAware. It answers a whole lot of questions you may have.
Thank you for the detailed explanation. I knew it was a medical helicopter, as I’ve photographed it and its mate (N137MH and N138MH) a few times. I just didn’t understand the 1-minute aspect.
Thanks for that tip. I’ll use that from now on.
Thank you for the suggestion. I did do a brief search for the keyword ‘red’ and didn’t immediately find an answer to the question I asked. But it’s been answered now.
PHI runs a lot of Hospital programs using fixed wing and helicopter. They might run 2 helicopters & 2 kings airs as, e.g. “Saint Marys 1…etc” but he crews and birds are PHI.
PHI has operated the Air Medical Group for about 28 years, and has far more than “5 or so” dedicated EMS rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. One of their contracts using several A-Stars, at least one Conquest II and a King Air, is here in the Valley of the Sun.
From PHI, Inc.'s history page:
PHI provides service to the Healthcare industry through its Air Medical Group. Since its inception in 1981, PHI Air Medical Group has grown from one medically equipped helicopter to over 60 helicopters with state of the art medical interiors designed and constructed by PHI. The current customer list spans the United States and includes customers that are very visible in the Healthcare industry. PHI Air Medical Group is currently providing services that were previously not available from civilian helicopter operators. Along with PHI’s safety record, PHI Air Medical Group’s safety record has been without peers since its inception.
A company that I used to work for did several helicopter aquisitions with Carol Suggs. She had become PHI’s President following the loss of her husband and co-founder/President of PHI. The Suggs legacy is well respected in the rotor-wing community.
My mistake. Thanks for the correction.
I see that now. JP Airline Fleets International 2008/09 does show more than 5. JP was taken over by Flight Global and they really screwed the format. What I thought was the end of listing for PHI. After the blasted ad, the listing continued.