Transport Canada has granted air ambulance operator Helijet a temporary exemption allowing medevac helicopters to land at the Sechelt Hospital helipad day or night.
Sechelt was one of seven hospitals with H1-rated helipads affected by a non-compliance order issued in early August for Helijet’s Sikorsky 76C model helicopters.
The exemption, which follows a similar one granted in March, is valid until January 31, 2017. BC Emergency Health Services said in a statement late last week that the exemption will “provide Helijet time to work with Transport Canada and Sikorsky … to resolve outstanding regulatory requirements.”
Lions Gate Hospital, the destination for many trauma patients being flown off the Sunshine Coast, is still under some restrictions. Helijet air ambulances will be allowed to land there during daylight hours, but will have to use either the Vancouver Harbour helipad or Vancouver International Airport for nighttime landings.
