LUFTHANSA Technik has developed a device for moving seriously ill patients on board airliners, which it claims is up to 60% cheaper to use, than a private-ambulance aircraft. The patient-transport compartment (PTC), includes breathing apparatus and a 13,000litre oxygen supply. Until recently, the carriage of such a large amount of oxygen in the cabin was prohibited for safety reasons, but the company's engineers devised a mechanism to ensure that any leaking gas is removed through an outlet on the exterior of the aircraft. The PTC weighs 187kg and rests on the aircraft's existing seat-tracks, fixed in place with rapid-release clips.
Source: Flight International
