Michael P. Koval
Articles by Michael P. Koval
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The ADS-B dilemma: How soon should HEMS operators act?
Friday, July 18, 2014A significant mandate for HEMS operators is looming on the horizon. The FAA requires that aircraft operating in certain classes of airspace must be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out by Jan. 1, 2020.
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Beware the dark side: The ethical dilemma facing HEMS
Thursday, February 27, 2014It is easy to see many parallels between the Star Wars movies and the current pilot shortage facing HEMS operators. The overwhelming shortage of qualified helicopter pilots has created ethical dilemmas for everyone associated with HEMS.
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Helicopter data is still lacking in GPS
Monday, January 13, 2014The avionics market for helicopters continues to grow. GPS and the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) are bringing copter approach procedures to heliports and airports around the world. However, published heliport data and approved copter procedures may not be included in the database. In order to ensure helicopter safety, all approved and published Federal Aviation Administration copter data should be included in every GPS database.
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HEMS scene communications made easy
Thursday, November 21, 2013Nothing is more frustrating to an air medical crew than trying to establish communications during a scene flight. This situation is occurring more and more often in the HEMS industry due to a variety of issues related to narrowbanding. The narrowbanding of public safety radios has created challenges for users and HEMS operators, and has made scene communications a significant safety issue.