North Carolina’s ECU Health has announced a partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) on the Electric Logistics and Integrated Flight Testing, or eLIFT-NC, initiative that will use next-generation electric aircraft to provide healthcare services to rural North Carolina communities.
“The eLIFT-NC initiative aims to explore how electric aviation can better connect hospitals, airports and rural communities to improve access to medical supplies, equipment and disaster recovery resources while maintaining strong safety and infrastructure standards,” said ECU Health in a press release. “The phased effort will begin with training and initial operations before expanding to additional routes and potential hospital-to-hospital missions. The program will also help inform the infrastructure and systems needed for long-term implementation.”
ECU Health joined North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and representatives from the FAA, NCDOT, BETA Technologies, Joby Aviation, Metro Aviation and other state healthcare organizations for a kick-off event Wednesday, September 23 at the Raleigh Executive Jetport. The event brought together pilot officials and stakeholders for aircraft simulations and exploration of the future of electronic aircraft in healthcare delivery.
In March, the NCDOT Division of Aviation announced it had been selected to participate in the FAA’s Advance Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) to explore the potential of next-generation aircraft. The program supports real-world testing of electric aircraft while helping shape future regulations and safety standards.
For more information
https://www.ecuhealth.org/ecu-health-partners-with-faa-ncdot-on-elift-nc-pilot-initiative/
(Image: ECU Health)