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Operations & systems
In-flight events uncommon in international air repatriation
International Fixed-Wing Air Ambulance Repatriation: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Analysis With Regression Modeling of Fox Flight Air Ambulance Inc. Patient Repatriation Characteristics 2009 to 2024
Air Medical Journal · 2026-08-12 · Added 29 October 2026
A Canadian retrospective cohort of 3,905 international fixed-wing air ambulance repatriations (2009–2024) found in-flight events in 26.7% of transports but major events in only 3.9%, with independent predictors including age, trauma and neoplasm diagnoses, oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation.
- Study type
- Cohort
- Design
- Retrospective observational cohort with multivariable regression
- Participants
- 3,905 international fixed-wing repatriations, single Canadian provider, 2009–2024
- Main finding
- In-flight events in 26.7% of transports, major events 3.9%; independent predictors of events were age, orthopaedic/trauma and neoplasm diagnoses, oxygen therapy, invasive ventilation and transport year; acuity increased over time.
- Caveat
- Single private provider's charts; causality between team composition and events cannot be inferred from retrospective data.
- Bottom line
- Context only
Why it matters in Australia (Medium relevance). International repatriation is a small corner of Australian aeromedical practice, mostly fixed-wing contract work, but the event rates and crew-mix findings speak to the same transport medicine.
Learning goal
Understand which patient factors increase the risk of deterioration during long-haul aeromedical repatriation.
More
- Topic: Operations & systems
- Daily scan: 29 October 2026
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