One of the unique aspects of Remote Area Medical^® is the ability to use aviation to increase RAM's effectiveness as providers of no-cost health services to people in need. Using a number of planes, from as large as the Douglas C-47/DC-3, to as small as the Cessna 150, RAM can carry people and equipment into areas that are difficult to reach by road.

Working in cooperation with RAM Airborne, the DC-3 can be used to drop skydiving health care professionals into expedition sites. So far, this has happened one time, as a demonstration for future events.

The event dropped 15 people and 5 pallets of supplies with no casualties, and along with ground support, treated over 230 patients with vision and dental problems.

During RAM's response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the DC-3 was used to carry about 6,000 lb of much-needed medical supplies Baton Rouge and Sulphur, LA. The craft was also used to relocate a large family from Baton Rouge to Knoxville on a return flight.

The DC-3 is a very historic airplane. She rolled off the assembly line a C-47 and was delivered to the European Theater of Operations with the U.S. 9th Air Force on June 3, 1944. She is believed to have flown at Normandy! She is one of about 1200 DC-3's still flying and has spent many years as a commercial cargo carrier. Her use is

generously donated to RAM by Michael Hogan of Hogan Air in Middletown, Ohio. Click here for more DC3 information.

Another RAM aircraft is the Cessna 206. A serious bush plane, the 206 can carry 1,000 lb of cargo or up to 6 people into rough, short strips. It is used in Guyana when necessary, and was used extensively in Louisiana and Mississippi after the hurricanes of 2005. It carried doctors and nurses, vaccines and medicines.