The first shift of the day starts at 7.00am. The pilot’s first task will be to go to the office to check the handover book, pilot log and notices to airmen (NOTAMS). These are notices filed with an aviation authority to warn of impending hazards or obstacles that may be nearby, such as air shows or cranes. The pilot will check the day’s weather conditions before carrying out a thorough pre-flight check of the aircraft.

Our clinical team start the day by checking and preparing the medical equipment and signing out the drugs. A digital checklist is used to make sure all the equipment is on board and all bags packed.

The team then work together to push the aircraft out of the hangar using an aircraft handling device. The helicopter is connected to the device and carefully driven out onto the helipad.

Pegasus’s engines undergo a compressor wash every morning, where fresh water is put through the engine intakes. This is a requirement of the engine manufacturer as part of the warranty process. The starter motor is engaged to turn over all the turbine blades in the engine without fully starting, flushing the water through at the same time. This stops salt and other contaminants from building up, which can affect the efficiency of the engine.

After the wash is complete, the pilot carries out a full ground run, which is a daily check of all systems. First, he starts the engines (drying them out in the process). This also provides an opportunity to perform a power check, testing the power output from each engine separately to ensure they are performing at the appropriate power margins.

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