UNC Medical Air Operations
Physical address: 1050 Meridian Drive, Morrisville, NC 27560
(see directions below)
Mailing address: UNC Medical Air Operations, CB 1515, UNC-Chapel Hill,
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1515
phone 919-840-1980 | fax 919-840-1984
hangar 919-840-1986| email click here
The nine regional Area Health Education Centers span North Carolina, allowing resources from the state's health science schools to reach communities and improve local health. The 500 miles between our coast and mountains present a challenge to university faculty who conduct consultation clinics and continuing education activities in the AHECs, while maintaining their teaching, research, and service responsibilities "at home."
Since its early beginnings in 1968, AHECs UNC Medical Air Operations, or Medical Air, has transported health science faculty, medical residents, health science students, and university officials to all areas of the state for educational activities. Medical Air and its fleet of six aircraft is based at RDU General Aviation and is flown by five full-time professional pilots.
In 2010-2011, Medical Air transported 1,903 passengers to more than 75 destinations. These include North Carolina's nine AHEC centers, community hospitals, health departments, and universities. This service makes it possible for faculty to reach very remote sites in the state on a daily basis while maintaining a full slate of professional activities. Medical Air has logged approximately 20 million passenger miles since 1978.
Typical Day
Medical Air flies between five and seven flights per day, averaging one to three passengers per flight. About 80% of its flights are scheduled during the daytime, transporting faculty, students, and residents to clinics around the state. Night flights are usually scheduled for faculty to conduct continuing education classes.
On a typical day Medical Air pilots may fly medical faculty and residents to Wilmington, NC to see patients at a consultation clinic. A professor in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry faculty may conduct an evening continuing education program in Asheville after a full day of teaching students and treating patients in the dental clinic.
High Technical Standards
Medical Air's standards for pilots and equipment maintenance exceed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements. Pilots possess Airline Transport Pilot Certificates and have flown an average of 10,000 hours in both civilian and military aviation. A team of three full-time certified mechanics maintain the aircraft's readiness, performing eight inspections per aircraft per year and other routine maintenance procedures in a modern, fully equipped hangar. In addition, two experienced air transportation coordinators schedule flights for Medical Air passengers.
Gordon Kramon, Medical Air's Director of Operations, is proud of his crew and its outstanding safety record. During the more than 40 years of Medical Air's flights, there have been no major accidents on the ground or in the air.
Medical Air operates in a highly sophisticated air traffic control system. Its fleet of four Beechcraft Barons and two TBMs (see photo above) utilize state-of-the-art weather avoidance equipment and satellite navigational systems, comparable to those found on any major airliner. With these aircraft, most locations in the state can be reached in an hour or less, including small municipal airports inaccessible to commercial airliners.
As the "wings of AHEC," Medical Air helps maintain a close partnership between the universities and the communities around the state. The Medical Air staff takes pride in its contributions toward improving health care access for all North Carolinians.
Medical Air Operations Use Policy
As described in the UNC Medical Air Operations Policy Manual, UNC Medical Air Operations is an administrative unit of the North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program. UNC Medical Air Operations provides the option of air transportation to University faculty and staff members in their efforts to accomplish the goals of the AHEC Program throughout North Carolina. These faculty are from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as the major partner educational institutions that are part of the AHEC Program, including Duke University, East Carolina University, and Wake Forest University.
The Passenger Eligibility section of the operations manual states the criteria for travel on AHEC aircraft:
- Individual will be traveling on either state or university business, and
- Passengers, Department, or Unit will reimburse Medical Air, Inc. from an official state, University, or AHEC Center account.
This policy further elaborates on the eligibility criteria for utilizing Medical Air for transportation related to the North Carolina AHEC Program. Appropriate uses for Medical Air include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following purposes:
- To offer educational programs that are either sponsored by the AHEC Program, or done in collaboration with AHEC in order to address a defined educational need of students, residents, or health care practitioners in the state.
- To conduct specialty clinics that are sponsored by the AHEC Program and are requested by the local AHEC. The clinics must also meet an unmet need, incorporate an educational component, and augment other AHEC educational programs.
- To conduct the business of the North Carolina AHEC Program.
In addition to meeting the criteria stated above, transfer of allocated travel funds must be accomplished through approved University or other institutional accounts. For other appropriate travel that does not appear to be covered by the above criteria, prior approval must be obtained from the Program Director.
Medical Air Operations Staff
Gordon Kramon, Director, Pilot
Brad Allison, Pilot
Robert Bailey, Pilot
Brian Call, Pilot
Paul Cotrufo, Aircraft Mechanic
David Eastwood, Aircraft Mechanic Supervisor
Jeremy Greene, Aircraft Mechanic
Jim Hotelling, Pilot
Carolyn Mann, Assistant Air Transportation Coordinator
Pratyush Mehta, Financial Manager
Lotta Nelms, Air Transportation Coordinator
Getting there
Direct access from Chapel Hill via I-40 to I-540 to Lumley Road to RDU General Aviation. Follow signs to UNC Air Operations. Medical Air is located across from the RDU Observation Deck; separate from commercial terminals. Free parking in front of building. Your pilot will meet you in reception area and accompany you to the plane.
View UNC Medical Air Operations in a larger map.