The weather in Maine in the far northeast of the United States can play havoc with aviation, especially on HEMS operations dispatch rates. Accordingly, LifeFlight of Maine is working with the FAA to develop a demonstration Low-Level Instrument Helicopter Flight Routes (IFR). The test heli routes will integrate with existing IFR en route and approach procedures. The new routes are aimed at improving all-weather access to communities in the western part of the state and are largely patterned along the course of Interstates 295 & 95 and State Roads 1, 3 and 9. LifeFlight says that the new procedures will “significantly improve transport of critical care patients in rural areas”. For its part, the FAA hope is the trial is successful so it can use it as a blueprint to expand the IFR route structure across the USA.
