| Aircraft Age |
B200
Built 2001. Structurally superior, low-fatigue airframe. Strictly maintained above DGCA minimums. |
C90
40–50 year old airframes. Most active Indian C90s built in the 1970s–80s. High structural fatigue, aging critical systems. |
Risk
Aged airframes ground unexpectedly. A technical abort during a critical transfer can be life-threatening. |
| Cabin Space |
B200
Roomy square-oval cabin. Full stretcher fits flat. Two medical crew can stand and work freely throughout the cabin. |
C90
Significantly smaller round-oval fuselage. Standard stretcher jams the medical team into a confined, restricted posture. |
Risk
If a patient deteriorates mid-flight, doctors need unrestricted physical space to perform interventions. A cramped fuselage directly restricts the quality of care possible. |
| Range / Fuel Stops |
B200
High-horsepower twin turboprops. Non-stop long-range capability. Connects North East to Delhi/Mumbai without refueling. |
C90
Smaller fuel capacity and less efficient engines. Long corridors require mandatory midway refueling landings. |
Risk
Every extra takeoff/landing = more pressure changes, more vibration, more elapsed transfer time. For unstable patients, each additional cycle is an unnecessary exposure. |
| Cabin Pressurization |
B200
Full pressurization system with published verified curves. Stable altitude equivalents maintained throughout cruise for critical patients. |
C90
C90 pressurization is functional but the aircraft's age and varying maintenance standards mean pressure system reliability varies significantly across individual airframes. |
Risk
Unstable pressure differentials worsen pneumothorax, post-surgical wounds, and intracranial pressure conditions in flight. |
| ICU Equipment Capacity |
B200
Cabin size accommodates full ICU stack: transport ventilator, multi-channel vital signs monitor, dual syringe pumps, dual-source oxygen, defibrillator. |
C90
Restricted cabin volume forces operators to choose between critical equipment items. Trade-offs between gear and patient/crew space are common. |
Risk
Equipment trade-offs mean critical monitoring or intervention tools may literally not be present in the cabin when needed most. |
| Credential Transparency |
B200
Full airworthiness data, maintenance logs, pressurization curves, and tail number publicly published. Verification possible before payment. |
C90
Broker networks routinely withhold aircraft identity, tail numbers, and airworthiness data. Documentation typically shared only after commitment. |
Risk
If you can't see the aircraft credentials before you pay, you have no way to verify what you're actually getting. That opacity is the problem we were built to solve. |
