The air ambulance was a concept initiated by two US Army medical officers. Capt George H. R. Gosman and Lt A. L. Rhodes, who were looking for a way to transport patients by air. This was a fairly new concept that faced a lot of challenges at first, though it later revolutionized the ability to transport patients in a much faster way.
This happened shortly after the first plane was successfully flown. This meant that there was still no plane that could be able to carry patients. This is why these two officers used their own money to build and fly the first ambulance in the world to fly on air. However, their success was not as easy as it may sound. One of the obstacles these two were faced with was that on the first test of the airplane, it failed to stay in the air for a long time. It crashed after flying for only 100 feet at a distance of 500 yards. Furthermore, Capt Gosman was denied backing for this project. They therefore had to use their own money.
During the first World War, this project by the two officers managed to make a lot of progress, even though most of them were through trial and errors. It is this idea of these army officers that saw more and more people taking interest in the project. By the time the first war was ending, it had started to dawn on the US authorities just how important it was to be able to transport the wounded by air. For the first time, with the help of Maj Nelson E. Driver and Capt William C. Ocker, the first modified biplane, a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny made it possible for the army to transport their wounded soldiers.
This is how it came to pass that the air ambulance can now be used to transport patients from one location to another.
This happened shortly after the first plane was successfully flown. This meant that there was still no plane that could be able to carry patients. This is why these two officers used their own money to build and fly the first ambulance in the world to fly on air. However, their success was not as easy as it may sound. One of the obstacles these two were faced with was that on the first test of the airplane, it failed to stay in the air for a long time. It crashed after flying for only 100 feet at a distance of 500 yards. Furthermore, Capt Gosman was denied backing for this project. They therefore had to use their own money.
During the first World War, this project by the two officers managed to make a lot of progress, even though most of them were through trial and errors. It is this idea of these army officers that saw more and more people taking interest in the project. By the time the first war was ending, it had started to dawn on the US authorities just how important it was to be able to transport the wounded by air. For the first time, with the help of Maj Nelson E. Driver and Capt William C. Ocker, the first modified biplane, a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny made it possible for the army to transport their wounded soldiers.
This is how it came to pass that the air ambulance can now be used to transport patients from one location to another.
ref: ezinearticles.com/?The-History-Of-the-Air-Ambulance&id=5552710