Job description:
Introduce the pilot to Geisinger Life Flight culture, company policies, regulatory framework, and administrative systems to ensure familiarity with organizational expectations and operational standards. Ensure the pilot can effectively operate within Geisinger Life Flight systems by understanding company IT platforms, flight documentation, maintenance programs, dispatch processes, and base procedures. Develop working knowledge of applicable FARs (Parts 61, 91, 119, 135, NTSB 830), operational control structure, duty/rest requirements, and PIC authority to ensure regulatory compliance and safe decision making. Enable effective use of all available resources (medical crew, communications center, maintenance, avionics) to enhance situational awareness, decision making, and mission safety. Familiarize the pilot with emergency equipment, crew coordination, aircraft fire response, evacuations, incapacitation procedures, and abnormal/emergency scenarios to ensure rapid and effective response. Provide comprehensive understanding of aircraft systems, limitations, and integration (powerplant, electrical, hydraulic, flight controls, anti ice, avionics, warning systems) required for safe operation. Reinforce foundational aeronautical knowledge, helicopter specific operations, HEMS considerations, weather, airspace, CRM/ADM, NVG concepts, and regulatory subjects with validated knowledge assessments. Develop pilot proficiency in normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures through scenario based training, emphasizing checklist discipline, aircraft handling, EMS mission profiles, and IIMC recognition and recovery. Qualify the pilot to safely conduct NVG operations by mastering NVG equipment use, human factors, terrain interpretation, aircraft lighting systems, and aided/unaided transition procedures. Build systems and procedural knowledge necessary for IFR operations, including adverse weather, aircraft performance, avionics, autopilot/flight director use, and instrument procedures. Demonstrate proficiency in IFR departures, enroute operations, instrument approaches, missed approaches, holding, and emergency IFR procedures to Part 135 standards. Validate pilot competency through oral, written, and flight evaluations conducted to 14 CFR 135.293, .297, and .299 standards prior to unsupervised line operations.
