New Mexico pilots Platelet Missions

YOU'VE SIGNED UP FOR A MISSION AND YOU'RE FLYING THE NEXT DAY

Currently, New Mexico only has "Draw" (blood drive pickup) and Unscheduled (STAT) Missions. There are no scheduled daily Platelet missions. In the future, should those missions be established, guidance will be provided.

If you are based at KAEG

Pickup Locations are listed on the schedule

DEPARTURE AIRPORT

In this example, let us assume that you have scheduled the Farmington mission on December 20th. Your airplane is at Double Eagle II (AEG), so after you requested the mission, the program automatically inserted AEG as the departure airport.

CONF TIME

The Confirmation Time is the time that you absolutely need to make a decision if you are able to fly, or not and call your Blood Lab's Dispatcher in Albuquerque. 

If the weather is forecast to be Marginal, you can let the dispatcher know the night before, so that her or she can arrange for alternate, "just in case", BACKUP transportation. The earlier that the dispatcher knows your status, the easier it is to execute their backup option(s). 

COMMUNICATIONS

The night before, call your Dispatcher at the 24 hour phone number, 505-247-9831. The backup number is 505-246-1482. (Put these numbers in your phone). Give the Dispatcher the mission number, found to the right of your name, and your name.

THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT

Check the weather and the NOTAMS and at or before 10:30, call your dispatcher to confirm that the AEG to FMN weather is suitable, and that you will be flying your mission.

Ask for the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR'S contact number. 

We recommend contacting the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR the morning of your mission to determine if the "draw" will finish early. 

BEFORE DEPARTING YOUR HOME AIRPORT (AEG)

Call the the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR prior to departing your home airport and confirm the meeting place at the pickup airport, (in this case, FMN). Ask for a box estimate. If the box estimate exceeds your aircraft capacity, call the Mission Coordinator and request another pilot to help with the load.

Depart AEG to arrive FMN at or before 1430.  

ARRIVAL AT THE PICKUP AIRPORT (FMN)

Call the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR when you arrive at FMN and meet him or her at the designated place. Again, confirm the box count.

Pilots will be met by Donor Services and given the blood.

If there are too many boxes for your aircraft and another pilot could not be found to help with the load, take as many as you can carry and go and leave the remaining with the Donor Services supervisor.

Call the Albuquerque Dispatcher and give him or her the ETA at your home airport (AEG). Confirm the meeting place at AEG so you can transfer the boxes to the courier.

Upon arrival at AEG, meet the courier at the designated place and transfer the blood.

Report the mission.

Your mission is now complete.

If you are based at an airport other than AEG

BEFORE YOU FLY

Read the applicable information for the airport you'll be serving. These airport guides will explain special considerations, including fuel discounts, where you are to meet the couriers and mobile supervisors, and more.

PICKUP LOCATIONS are listed in the schedule.

DEPARTURE AIRPORT

In this example, let us assume that you have scheduled the Los Alamos mission on January 7th. Your airplane is at Moriarity (0E0), so after you requested the mission, the program will automatically insert 0E0 as the departure airport.

CONF TIME

The Confirmation Time is the time that you absolutely need to make a decision if you are able to fly, or not and call the Albuquerque dispatcher.

If the weather is forecast to be marginal, you can let Albuquerque know the night before, so that they can arrange for alternate, "just in case", BACKUP transportation. The earlier that Albuquerque knows your status, the easier it is to execute their backup option(s).

COMMUNICATIONS

The night before, call your dispatcher at the 24 hour phone number, 505-247-9831. The backup number is 505-246-1482. (Put these numbers in your phone). Give the dispatcher the mission number, found to the right of your name, and your name.

THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT

Check the weather and the NOTAMS.

At or before the confirmation time (12:30), call the dispatcher to confirm that the 0E0 to Los Alamos weather is suitable, etc. and you will be flying your mission.

Ask for the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR'S contact number. 

We recommend contacting the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR the morning of your mission to determine if the "draw" will finish early.

BEFORE DEPARTING YOUR HOME AIRPORT (0E0)

Call the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR prior to departing your home airport, and confirm the meeting place at the pickup airport. Ask for a box estimate. If the box estimate exceeds your aircraft capacity, call the Mission Coordinator and request that a request for an unscheduled mission be transmitted so that another pilot can help with the load. 

Depart 0E0 to arrive Los Alamos at or before 1630 (the scheduled pickup time). 

ARRIVAL AT THE PICKUP AIRPORT (LOS ALAMOS)

Call the DONOR SERVICES SUPERVISOR when you arrive at Los Alamos and meet him or her at the designated place. Again, ask for a box estimate.

Pilots will be met by Donor Services and given the blood to load into the aircraft.

If there are too many boxes for your aircraft and another pilot could not be found to help with the load, take as many as you can carry and go and leave the remaining with the draw supervisor.

Call Albuquerque and give them your home airport (0E0) ETA, or whatever drop off airport you have arranged with them. Confirm the meeting place at the arranged drop off airport so you can transfer the boxes to the courier.

ARRIVAL AT THE DELIVERY AIRPORT

Upon arrival at 0E0, or at the prearranged drop-off airport, meet the courier at the designated place and transfer the blood.

Report the mission.

Your mission is now complete.