Aeronautical decision making in Helicopter Emergency Medical Systems (HEMS): The effect of mission orientation and local base finances on the go/no go decision

Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) is among the most dangerous type of flying in the United States today. In 2008 it was safer to fly medical evacuation missions in Iraq and Afghanistan than in the Continental United States. This study is designed to test whether the financial performance of the local base and a hyper mission orientation have a negative effect on aeronautical decision making among HEMS crews.;A Likert type survey was administered to HEMS pilots and medical crews to ascertain their thoughts and feelings regarding the two questions under investigation. While the data clearly showed that poor financial performance at the base level and an acute desire to complete the mission do not have a negative effect on aeronautical decision making among HEMS crews, it did reveal a distinct divide among attitudes between pilots and medical crews.