Air Ambulance Operator

Best Practices when Responding to Requests 

• Reply in a timely manner. The quicker your response time, the greater the chance you win the trip. 
• Reply to all requests. Even if you're not available to do the trip, it's important to decline instead of leaving the trip unanswered. 
• Communication is key. Read the buyers request details and message and answer any questions they might have, such as earliest date of departure, number of fuel stops etc. If you are not available on the requested date of departure, clearly state it in the message.

How to Respond to your Requests

Check the details of the request

Under Trips-->Selling you will see all your air ambulance requests. Click on the trip request to open it.

Check the Itinerary, the details and the message from the buyer to decide if you can do the trip or not.

Alternative 1: You can do the trip

1. Add the price
2. Click the checkmark
3. Write a message answering the buyers questions
4. Click Send. 

IMPORTANT; if you don't click Send your acceptance will not be sent to the buyer and the trip will still be Unanswered.

If several aircraft were requested, decline the ones that can't perform the flight:

Alternative 2: You can't do the trip

1. Click the Cross
2. Set a Decline reason
3. Type a message
4. Click Send. 

IMPORTANT; if you don't click Send your decline will not be sent to the buyer, and the trip will still be Unanswered.

Alternative 3: You can't do the trip with the request aircraft but you have another aircraft available

1. Decline the first aircraft
2. Click Add Aircraft and select the aircraft that you'd like to offer instead

3. Add the price for the new aircraft

4. Click the checkmark

5. Write a message answering the buyers questions

6. Click Send. 

This article applies to Air Ambulance operators who are using the Manual schedule in Avinode. If you have integrated Avinode with your Flight Management System, this article does not apply. You can manage your flights within your flight management system, and it will automatically update the Avinode schedule.

Why should you update your schedule?

By keeping your schedule up to date, you ensure that your aircraft appears from its actual position in the search results. As the search results are sorted based on positioning time, it's especially important. For example, if your aircraft is in New York on the 5th of January and you've updated your schedule accordingly, and someone searches for a trip departing from New York on the 5th of January, you will have 0 h positioning time and appear at the top of the search result, increasing your chances of being requested. 

How do I update my schedule?

Go to Schedule → Schedule and click on the date of the aircraft that you would like to add an activity to and select New.

You will be asked to add an activity type. By default, you will have three options: Patient Flight, Empty Leg, or Maintenance.

Patient Flight - Use this when you have a patient flight. It will update the position of your aircraft. You will still be visible in the search results during the flight.

Empty Leg - For when you're flying empty and need to reposition. It will update the position of your aircraft, and an empty leg will automatically be published that buyers can request

Maintenance - Use this activity if you need to make your aircraft unavailable for an extended period, such as during scheduled maintenance. You will not be visible in the search results during this period, and you will avoid receiving requests for trips you can't do.

Let's say we have a patient flight departing from New York, KTEB, to Paris, LFPB, at 09:00 on December 3rd. We fill in the details accordingly. Leave the End Date empty; the system will automatically calculate the flight time. 

On the 5th, you need to fly from Paris, LFPB, back to your home base in Nice, LFMN. Click Add activity to add an additional activity. Select Empty Leg, and fill in the details accordingly. Click Save.

Now, looking at the schedule, we can see that the patient flight and empty leg were added. If someone searches for a flight between the 4th and the 5th, you will be positioned from LFPB. After the empty leg on the 6th and forward, you will be positioned from LFMN.

The rule of thumb is to add a flight to your schedule as soon as you have it planned, whether it's a patient flight or a repositioning flight.