Rotorcraft Report: AMTC Holds Annual Conference in Minneapolis

TRAINING | PUBLIC SERVICE

The Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC), sponsored by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS), convened in Minneapolis, Minn. on October 20-22. Approximately 2,400 air medical professionals were on hand at the Minneapolis Convention Center to participate in classroom training, workshops and networking activities, while more than 150 venders from around the world displayed their wares in the exhibit hall.

Helicopter manufactures AgustaWestland, Bell, Eurocopter, MD and Sikorsky participated in the gathering, bringing examples of medevac-equipped aircraft for all to inspect.

"We’re the trade show for the entire air medical community," said Dawn Mancuso, executive director of AAMS. "On a whole, we’re hearing it was a very worthwhile use and investment of [the attendees’ and exhibitors’] time and resources to come."

During the conference, a number of emergency air medical operations signed contracts for new equipment, while others took delivery of new purchases right on the exhibit hall floor. One such delivery was by Dallas, Texas-based Omniflight, which took delivery of a new twin-engine Eurocopter EC145 that will see service with Mayo Clinic, a non-profit medical practice dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of complex illnesses and medical conditions.

"We’re extremely pleased about the outcome from this year’s AMTC," Mancuso told Rotor & Wing. "Folks seemed to be pleased with the general session speakers, and they liked the size of the exhibit hall and the diversity of exhibitors."

The Association of Air Medical Services is a non-profit organization based in Alexandria, Va. Its membership consists of approximately 600 air medical transport operators worldwide.