The average age of Doctor Helicopter pilots in Chungnam is 61.6 years, the highest in the country.

The average age of Chungnam Doctor Helicopter pilots was 61.6 years old, the highest among the eight operating regions nationwide.

According to data submitted by People Power Party Rep. Lee Dal-hee (proportional), a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee, from the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 30th, the average age of 41 doctor helicopter pilots nationwide was 59.4 years old.

By region, Chungnam had the highest age at 61.6, followed by Jeju at 60, Gangwon and Gyeonggi at 59.6 each.

All 41 Doctor Helicopter pilots nationwide were in their 50s or older, of which 16 (39%) were in their 60s or older.

There was not a single pilot in his 30s or 40s.

Of the 41 pilots, 40 were from the military.

As the Doctor helicopter aircraft was replaced in South Chungcheong Province this year, it was found that the flight experience of pilots for the new model was relatively short.

In the past five years, four pilots and two mechanics were replaced in South Chungcheong Province due to expiration of their contracts, and the average flight time of the newly assigned pilots for the corresponding model was 162 hours.

Jeonbuk had 177 hours, and Gyeongbuk had 1,104 hours, which was one-seventh of Gyeongbuk in Chungcheongnam-do.

The transfer performance of Chungnam Doctor Helicopter also decreased.

According to data, the number of doctor helicopter transfer cases in South Chungcheong Province decreased from 150 cases in 2021 to 17 cases last year.

Last year, the rental fee for a doctor helicopter in South Chungcheong Province was 2.857 billion won, and the lawmaker's office analyzed that about 168 million won was invested per transfer.

However, the Chungnam Doctor Helicopter was replaced from a small helicopter to a medium-sized AW-169EMS last July, allowing it to transport two patients at the same time, and its long-distance dispatch and in-flight first aid capabilities have also improved.

Representative Lee Dal-hee said, “With the current structure in which all pilots are in their 50s or older, it is impossible to guarantee who will drive the doctor helicopter in 5 or 10 years. We need to establish a system to train young pilots.”