Base longevity

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Base longevity

Author: AMC Guy Date: 9/4/2023 8:39:18 AM +4/-0 Show Orig. Msg (this window) Or In New Window

If a base does at least 30/month then it's probably safe from closure, so consider that before buying a house X distance away.
May be different in Arizona, though, based on payer mix.

If base is in big city or really nice area and it can't keep pilots it's bad management, a-hole lead pilot, or bad medcrew. Find out why.

If base is slightly remote (even a ring base around a big city) and/or the specific town it's in is crappy (bad schools, poor neighborhoods) then that's probably why. I was at a base with great medcrew, pilots, mech, management, etc. but town just sucked. Had to live 30-45 min away minimum.

Everyone has their driving limits. Remember, you'll work a 12.5 hr shift every day of your 7 on. That can easily go to 14 many days depending on how busy your base is or how close the pilot switch time is to the local ambulance shift switch (lots of ambulances drivers call a helicopter because they don't want to drive the long distance to X hospital because it's close to their shift change time).
Shoot to live as close to base as possible and you negate most of those frustrations (and it's also easier mentally to take an extra shift vs if you have the "ugh, it's an hour too the base" feeling").

Depends on how many years you see yourself doing it but if a base has pilot housing (minus AirEvac which does at every base I believe) then it could mean revolving door of pilots.

Also, consider shift change time and it's impact on your family. Some love the 0600 change vs the 0800 and vice versa. Those 2 hours of difference can make/break your family acceptance of your job. Depends on age of kids but you may miss every ballgame, practice, dinner together, etc. if on the 0800/2000 shift. I was a military guy too and know the impact on family (even if you have the 7 off; they'll feel you're still deployed all the time). For the 0800 change example if your family are night owls then no biggee; you'll eat dinner late, watch something together, and won't feel bad about missing them at bkfst and you'll sleep in later. My fam and I hated the later shift, so to each their own.

Would love to fly in AZ. Dry heat is amazing and it's hot everywhere in the country for 4 months of the year anyway (worse when your flight suit is completely soggy in 2-3 min due to humidity everywhere else vs dry heat where you have 10-15 min before a slight sweat even starts).
Scenes where you have to shut down or remote hospitals with pads that are unsecure and not near a bldg with AC are maybe 20% of the job or less. Most of the time you'll be out of the heat in no time. If hot and can't get out of the heat, and you get one of those low-height, recliner-type camping chairs (less than 2 lbs and poles remove to fit in a bag that's only about 18 inches long) you can typically sit under the tailboom in the shade of the horizontal stab where you can get a breeze and be super comfy while the crew is gone.

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