Air Rescue / Air Ambulance

The Division was created in 1994 with the purpose of:

• Representing AIA members with an interest in search and rescue, helicopter and fixed-wing air ambulance and organ and patient transfers
• Being recognised by health/accident/SAR authorities and becoming the point of referral for those bodies to provide an appropriate view from the perspective of the aviation industry
• Being tasked with communicating with all relevant organisations in the medical, hospital, regulatory and enforcement areas relevant to aviation as it fits with accident, health and SAR services
• Developing an industry-wide forum addressing relevant policy issues
• Recognised as the body for the setting of standards for air rescue-air ambulance activities working with such external groups as may be required
• Becoming a credible industry organisation representative of the viewpoints of its widely dispersed interest group of members

 
Of particular significance is the recognition afforded in setting standards for air rescue-air ambulance activities in New Zealand. Working firstly with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and in conjunction with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM), Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (JFICM) the Ministry of Health (MoH), District Health Boards (DHB), Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Corporation (ARCIC), the Rescue Co-ordination Centre of New Zealand (RCCNZ), New Zealand Police, Ambulance NZ, New Zealand Flight Nurses Association and such other groups as may be required from time-to-time. The expertise of the division has been the catalyst for delivery of superior safety and in-flight performance of this sector of the industry.
 
The standard is audited by an independent auditor with extensive experience in the aviation industry. Companies, who are accredited, are required to undergo a full and comprehensive audit every two years.
 
If you wish to provide services contracted to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), you must be accredited in terms of the AR/AA Standards version 8. In addition, if you provide services to any DHB, while it is not compulsory for all operators to be accredited, there is a strong preference for engagement of operators who hold accreditation. Again, this is in accordance with version 8 of the standard.

For information on accreditation please contact admin1@aia.org.nz
 
For a copy of the version 8 standard click here

This division is also actively engaged in:

• Development of the New Zealand Helicopter Association
• Development of an industry-wide safety committee
• Development of industry-wide safety awards
• Possible EMS rule changes as a consequence of the FAA’s recently announced results of various reviews
• Review of compliance with 91.127 & 139.309

Chair

Rea Wikaira
e: rwikaira@msn.com
t: +64 9 372 8258

Deputy Chair

Francis Kuriger
e: airnp@airnp.co.nz
t: +64 6 755 0500