Last week emergency air service pilot Dave Solomon commemorated his 2000th flight as a medical pilot with Classic Aviation. He celebrated the major milestone with a small circle of friends and co-workers at the Page Municipal Airport, during which he was presented with a star reef coral and sapphire wings made just for the occasion.

Solomon has been flying for 19 years since beginning his career as a search and rescue pilot and medical transport. The father of four has spent the majority of his career rooted in Page with Med Air.

“I don’t plan on giving it up soon,” he said. “I’ll keep flying till I can’t fly no more. I’m ready to go another 19 years.”

Matt Bose, Med-Air’s Lead Pilot, congratulated Solomon and presented him with his commemorative wings.

“This is a happy occasion and a big moment for Dave who has two thousand medical flights. This is owed to him for 19 dedicated years.”

Congratulations went around the room with everybody sharing personal stories about memorable flights and moments on the job, including his polite and patient demeanor with dispatch.

The group of friends included an appearance by the Page Mayor, Bill Diak, who went out of his way to shake Solomon’s hand.

The team at Med Air started with one location averaging 200 flights per year with an estimated two hours per flight covering the Grand Circle area including the western area of the Navajo Reservation.  

Since the expansion of the company to eleven locations, the crew in Page now averages 100 flights a year but with a new location in Alcove, NV they anticipate less.

Less flights is bittersweet news for Ruth Solomon, Dave’s wife, who worries when he doesn’t land on time, especially when the weather is unpredictable.
“Dispatch knew when to call to say he’ll be late and now hopefully he will be good for another 19 years,” she said.

Communication from the dispatch and updated weather reports are key to safely transporting victims and keeping the pilots safe.

Because the life of a search and rescue pilot is unpredictable the job requires fast and safe judgment calls to keep flying or to land for ground transport.
Co-worker Aaron Fisher says what helps in dealing with first, on-site contact is the advice of their lead pilot, Bose.

“He said to tell ourselves that what happened to them is beyond our control… [and] we have to remember we are trying to make it better and get the victims to a safe place where they can get proper medical treatment.

These unsung heroes of the Grand Circle are greatly respected for their unselfish acts of bravery and their specific set of skills when the trauma occurs in remote and difficult terrain.

They save lives and Solomon’s accomplishment has credited the company as a whole.