Medical aircraft charter: organising an air medical evacuation 

Every year, several thousand air medical transports are organised across Europe to respond to emergencies, repatriations or inter-hospital transfers. Behind these operations lies a particularly rigorous organisation, where every minute can affect the patient’s prognosis. For insurance companies, assistance providers, healthcare facilities or international businesses, having a partner able to coordinate a medical aircraft charter quickly is a major concern. 

Contrary to popular belief, a private medical flight is not limited to emergency evacuations. It also covers the transfer of stabilised patients, medical repatriations, the transport of specialised medical teams as well as the delivery of organs intended for transplantation. Each mission requires a suitable aircraft, a qualified medical team and constant coordination with airport authorities and healthcare facilities. 

Thanks to its international network of certified operators, Avico organises air medical transport missions all over the world, with a dedicated unit available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to the most urgent requests. 

The different types of air medical flights 

Each mission meets a specific medical need. The choice of aircraft, onboard equipment and care team depends directly on the patient’s clinical condition, the distance to be covered and logistical constraints. 

Medical evacuation (Medevac): patient in a life-threatening emergency 

The medevac flight is intended for patients whose condition requires immediate care. It is deployed after a serious accident, a natural disaster, an industrial incident or when a local healthcare facility does not have the necessary resources. 

In this context, the medical evacuation aircraft charter makes it possible to transfer the patient quickly to a better-equipped hospital. The aircraft is configured as a genuine mobile intensive care unit to ensure continuity of treatment throughout the flight. 

The mission generally mobilises: 

• a physician specialised in emergency medicine or intensive care; 

• a nurse experienced in air medical transport; 

• comprehensive monitoring equipment allowing vital signs to be tracked continuously. 

Response time is a decisive factor. As soon as medical validation is obtained, all operations are coordinated to minimise the delay between the transfer decision and take-off. 

Non-urgent medical transport: inter-hospital transfer 

Not all medical missions involve absolute emergencies. Many patients need to be transferred between two facilities in order to access a more advanced technical platform or specialised treatment. 

Air medical transport is then a particularly effective alternative when distances make ground transport unsuitable or when a commercial flight does not meet medical requirements. 

These transfers concern in particular: 

• patients under continuous monitoring; 

• people requiring complete immobilisation; 

• patients who need to reach a specialised centre for a scheduled procedure. 

The flight is organised in close collaboration with the medical teams of both hospitals to ensure perfect continuity of care. 

Medical repatriation: returning a stabilised patient home 

When a traveller or an expatriate employee is hospitalised abroad, repatriation may be considered as soon as their condition is stabilised. 

The private medical flight then makes it possible to return the patient to their home country, where they can continue their treatment with their usual doctors or in a facility chosen by their family, employer or insurer. 

This solution offers several advantages: 

• fully personalised transport; 

• schedules adapted to medical constraints; 

• continuous support from a care team if necessary; 

• reduced handling of the patient thanks to priority access at airport facilities. 

The choice between a dedicated air ambulance and a stretcher configuration on a private jet depends on the level of care required during transport. 

Transport of organs and biological products: time and temperature constraints 

Air medical transport does not only concern patients. Organ transplants, biological samples, blood products or certain pharmaceutical treatments must also be delivered within extremely short timeframes. 

These missions require particularly demanding logistical organisation: 

• immediate aircraft availability; 

• optimised planning of airport slots; 

• strict adherence to the cold chain; 

• constant coordination with surgical teams. 

In this type of operation, every minute saved contributes directly to the chances of a successful transplant. 

Available aircraft and equipment 

The choice of aircraft depends on many parameters: distance to be covered, patient’s clinical condition, number of accompanying persons, aircraft range and airport access constraints. Thanks to its international network, Avico can select the solution best suited to each mission. 

Aircraft equipped with an intensive care unit: monitoring, ventilator, defibrillator 

A medical charter aircraft can be fitted out to reproduce the conditions of a hospital intensive care unit. 

Available equipment includes in particular: 

• transport ventilator; 

• multi-parameter monitor; 

• defibrillator; 

• electric syringe pumps; 

• high-capacity oxygen supply; 

• medical suction systems. 

This configuration makes it possible to care for patients who are ventilated, intubated or require continuous monitoring for several hours. 

The installations are certified in accordance with the aviation regulations applicable to medical transport. 

Stretcher configurations for light and mid-size jets 

Not all missions require a full intensive care unit. For stable patients, private jets can be given a specific configuration incorporating an approved medical stretcher. 

This solution offers several advantages: 

• reduced preparation time; 

• access to a large number of regional airports; 

• greater operational flexibility; 

• optimised cost for insurers and healthcare facilities. 

Light jets are preferred for short or European trips, while mid-size aircraft make it possible to carry out longer missions with more space for the medical team and onboard equipment. 

Medical team on board: physician, nurse, Avico coordination 

Beyond the aircraft, the success of a mission relies on flawless human coordination. Depending on the needs identified with the referring physicians, Avico arranges the integration of a specialised medical team comprising an emergency physician, an anaesthetist-intensivist, a state-registered nurse or other healthcare professionals qualified for air transport. 

This coordination also encompasses equipment preparation, the transmission of clinical information, scheduling with healthcare facilities and the synchronisation of ground resources before and after the flight. 

Each mission is supervised to ensure continuity of care between the point of departure, the flight and admission to the destination facility. 

Table of compatible aircraft according to the level of care required 

The choice of aircraft depends on several criteria: the patient’s condition, the distance to be covered, the range sought and the level of medical care required. The aim is to guarantee the safety of the transport while optimising response times. 

This diversity of fleet makes it possible to adapt each mission to medical and operational constraints, without mobilising an oversized aircraft when this is not necessary. 

How Avico organises an emergency medical flight 

Organising air medical transport is not limited to providing an aircraft. It involves coordination between medical teams, air operators, administrative authorities and assistance services. This ability to orchestrate all the parties involved is one of Avico’s main added values. 

Activation of the 24/7 medical unit in under an hour 

Requests for a medical evacuation aircraft charter can arise at any time, day or night. This is why Avico has an operational unit accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

After receiving the request, the teams gather the essential initial information: 

• the patient’s clinical condition; 

• exact location; 

• departure facility; 

• destination hospital; 

• specific medical constraints. 

Once these elements are validated, the search for the most suitable aircraft is immediately launched among an international network of certified operators. In an emergency, the first steps can be initiated in under an hour. 

Coordination with medical teams at departure and arrival 

The success of air medical transport relies on perfect continuity of care. 

Before departure, the medical teams liaise with the attending physicians in order to prepare the transfer under the best possible conditions. Therapeutic protocols, ongoing treatments and any technical constraints are communicated to the onboard team. 

On arrival, coordination continues with the receiving facility so that the patient is taken care of immediately, without any break in their care pathway. 

This anticipation reduces admission times and limits the risks associated with changes in the medical environment. 

Management of overflight authorisations and airport access 

A private medical flight often requires specific authorisations. 

Depending on the countries concerned, Avico coordinates in particular: 

• diplomatic overflight authorisations; 

• priority take-off and landing slots; 

• requests for access to restricted airport areas; 

• the organisation of ambulances at departure and arrival. 

This administrative management allows the medical teams to focus fully on caring for the patient. 

Medical documentation and customs formalities 

International medical transport also involves a set of regulatory formalities. 

Depending on the destination, it may be necessary to prepare: 

• medical transport certificates; 

• hospital reports; 

• therapeutic prescriptions; 

• the patient’s identity documents and visas; 

• customs declarations relating to onboard medicines or equipment. 

Avico’s teams assist their clients in compiling this file in order to limit any risk of administrative delay. 

Avico’s clients for medical flights 

Medical aircraft charter missions involve a wide range of players facing challenges of speed, safety and continuity of care. 

Insurance companies and travel assistance 

Insurers and assistance providers represent a significant share of medical repatriation requests. 

They are looking for a partner able to mobilise a medically-equipped aircraft quickly, while ensuring a single operational point of contact, from the patient’s hospitalisation through to their admission in the destination country. 

Cost control, international availability and quality of coordination are essential criteria in the choice of a provider. 

Multinational companies with expatriate employees 

Companies with an international presence sometimes have to organise the medical transfer of staff who are victims of an accident or illness while on assignment abroad. 

Thanks to a medical charter aircraft, it becomes possible to repatriate an employee quickly to a reference hospital, while guaranteeing medical support appropriate to their condition. 

This solution is part of risk management and international employee protection policies. 

Hospitals and private clinics for inter-facility transfers 

Healthcare facilities regularly call on medical flights to carry out transfers to specialised centres. 

This may involve: 

• a transfer to an intensive care unit; 

• access to a specific technical platform; 

• a scheduled surgical procedure at a reference facility. 

The objective remains the same: to reduce care times while maintaining a high level of medical safety. 

International organisations and NGOs 

Humanitarian organisations often operate in isolated regions or areas facing health, political or climate crises. 

In these contexts, the ability to organise a medevac flight is an essential lever for protecting teams in the field or evacuating patients to suitable medical facilities. 

Thanks to its global network, Avico can coordinate complex operations in particularly demanding environments. 

FAQ 

How quickly can Avico mobilise a medically-equipped aircraft? 

In a life-threatening emergency, the Avico operations unit can mobilise a medically-equipped aircraft within 2 to 4 hours, depending on the patient’s location, the necessary authorisations and the availability of aircraft in the region. 

Can Avico provide a medical team on board? 

Yes. Avico coordinates the involvement of certified medical providers in order to integrate physicians and nurses specialised in air medical transport. The composition of the team is defined with the referring physicians according to the patient’s clinical condition. 

Which aircraft are available for transporting a patient in intensive care? 

Aircraft such as the Learjet 60 or Citation XLS can be fitted out to accommodate patients requiring intensive care. For long-haul flights or the most complex situations, aircraft such as the Falcon 900 or Global 5000 offer more space, range and comfort for the medical team. 

Can insurers contract directly with Avico? 

Yes. Avico offers framework contracts for insurance companies and assistance providers, with tailored pricing terms, a dedicated point of contact and priority access to its network of medically-equipped aircraft. 

Organising a medical aircraft charter with Avico 

Whether it is a life-threatening emergency, a medical repatriation, an inter-hospital transfer or organ transport, organising a medical aircraft charter requires a high level of logistical and medical expertise. Each mission must be prepared with precision in order to ensure continuity of care, compliance with regulatory constraints and speed of execution. 

Thanks to its international network of certified airlines and an operational unit available 24/7, Avico supports insurers, healthcare facilities, businesses and international organisations in setting up air medical transport solutions tailored to each situation.