Lifeflight? N350AM.. Is this a new bird?

[joescanner]

And to keep it scanner related, the reason I'm asking is trying to identify TG 32144 on the Portland system. This morning, I heard several comms between a base station and "N350AM" -- headed for Aurora.

Here's a picture of the bird.

 

[joescanner]

"350 is at the McMinville airport, will be here for 20 minutes, but I'll call you in 15."

I thought LifeFlight was strictly nextel for dispatch these days?

 

[KE7JFF]

Looked at the FAA Tail Number Registry and its registered to a trust out of Delaware, which doesn't help us here.

I'll listen to the air bands today if I can catch it as well.

 

[joescanner]

more info...

LifeFlight's helicopters are "under the control of" Air Methods (http://www.airmethods.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home)... headquarted in Colorado.

Pictures of this aircraft seem to originate in Colorado.

Could the AM part of N350AM be an abbreviation for Air Methods?

Still trying to find a link between Air Methods and the trustee in Delaware.

 

[icom1020]

I hear Life Flight coms on 463.175 a lot whenever I'm down there. I thought that was the established dispatch?

 

[KE7JFF]

I hear Life Flight coms on 463.175 a lot whenever I'm down there. I thought that was the established dispatch?

Its not quite a dispatch; its more of a "Okay, did you get your nextel message? Great...where are you now?" and "Are you there yet? Okay? good!"

 

[Net-5]

Just for some background. If I remember right, LifeFlight is funded by a group of metro area health care systems (OHSU, Legacy, Providence and maybe others) and the LifeFlight organization is administrated by Legacy. They may lease and also own aircraft outright. N350AM could be a lease.

 

[PMJ2kx]

AFAIK, Life Flight has two helicopters in the Portland Metro area (LifeFlight1 at Hillsboro, LifeFlight2 at Aurora), both of which end in LF. The tail numbers are N407LF and N430LF. They recently added another one over in Dallsport, WA, one in Eugene, and as of two months ago, they are operating out of the Kelso-Longview Airport.

Their newest copter is pictured here on their site:
http://www.lifeflight.org/art/LifeFlightEC135.JPG

Notice that the tail ends in LF.

So for the tail to end in AM, it very well may be used by Air Methods, but not the Life Flight Network itself.

Or...it could just be on "trial status" for them.

EDIT: Eugene's helicopter ends in AM. Interesting...
http://www.lifeflight.org/art/gallery_14_lg.jpg

 

[joescanner]

Well, we have an answer. Unless the radio has been moved, N350AM is now known as Lifeflight 7.

 

[PMJ2kx]

Well, we have an answer. Unless the radio has been moved, N350AM is now known as Lifeflight 7.

I heard them radio in as LifeFlight 1 (perhaps as just a fill-in name for the event) last weekend at the Sherwood Safety Fair. Snapped a photo, too.

 

[ScanRite]

My wife flies on one of the local transport teams. I asked her this morning and she hasn't heard of them getting a new bird, although it wouldn't surprise her. She thought it might just be a loaner while another one is down for maintenance, required inservice, etc.

 

[Bleeblee2004]

Life Flight has the 5 helicopters and 2 fixed wings. They are pretty much getting away from the Bells if they haven't completely already. Either Life Flight leases the aircraft from Air Methods or the have service work done by them or a mix of both. I know 3 people that work for LF and one of those is married to a co-worker, so next time I work with him I'll ask.

 

[Hopscotch]

So, than they are still using Nextel for communications than? That correct? I've heard them down here on the local fire tac channels.

Jeff
KE7OUR

 

[pdxbofh]

They operate on local fire tac channels to set up landing zones. I haven't heard them on their UHF freq in a while. It used to be used to check in with their dispatch and record arrive/departure times, fuel levels etc. I don't know if they have gone nextel or trunked. I would be willing to bet they haven't gone ALL trunked, because they would have to be in range of the BOEC system to talk to their dispatch.

Just a thought.....

Life Flight Aircraft - Portland Metro medical transport service

If that is up to date, they list their aircraft.

 

[KE7JFF]

....I just heard them yesterday use the UHF channel....

 

[gmitch]

For those keeping score:
N430LF Emanuel Hospital
N407LF Wells Fargo NW Trustee
N350AM Wilmington Trust Co Trustee
N135LF LMP, LLC
N556AM Regions Equipment Finance Corp