General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThis Amazing Jet Will Transport Ebola Victims From Africa To The U.S.
How do you pack two patients that are infected with one of the world's deadliest viruses into a pressurized aluminum tube that is filled with healthy care takers and pilots for 12 hours and not get almost everyone infected in the process? You use this old ex-Royal Danish Air Force Gulfstream III that is highly modified to convey very ill people over very long distances.
N173PA looks like it belongs to the military, in fact the USAF and USMC have an almost identical paint job on some of their C-20 aircraft, and like N173PA, some of them also feature a massive clam-shell cargo door as well. This 32 year old Gulfstream III was once owned and operated by the Royal Danish Air Force and wore the military tailcode 'F-313' at the time. The jet still retains her original Royal Danish Air Force livery, minus the government titles and insignia of course.
'F-313' was sold to U.S. military air support provider Phoenix Air in January of 2005. Phoenix Air is well known for providing adversary support and electronic warfare training to the DoD. With their massive fleet of tiger-striped Learjets being forward based near key U.S. Naval installation, they can often be seen lugging electronic warfare pods and anti-ship missile emitter simulators.
These jets fly attack profiles on U.S. Navy ships and air defense units, mimicking the tactics and technologies of America's potential enemies. In addition to their Learjet fleet, Phoenix Air has two nearly identical Gulfstream IIIs intercontinental business jets, which are used for rapid cargo transport and air ambulance duties.
more
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/this-amazing-jet-will-transport-ebola-victims-from-afri-1614420685/all
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)Our healthcare system is 11th out of 11 in the developed world and our best can't isolate pathogens:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2014/07/22/cdc-errs-in-policy-as-well-as-handling-dangerous-pathogens/
US Healthcare worst in developed world:
http://time.com/2888403/u-s-health-care-ranked-worst-in-the-developed-world/
n2doc
(47,953 posts)One can presume that the folks involved in this do not have a suicide wish and will take every precaution. This isn't 50 year old samples, found in a filing drawer, that we are talking about
LisaL
(44,973 posts)To err is human.
Humans make a lot of mistakes.
And it's not like there is a cure, so what is bringing the patients here going to accomplish?
n2doc
(47,953 posts)If they were so bad, surely someone would have been infected? Or perhaps there was a little anti-government fear mongering involved?
Bringing there here, presumably, gives them the best chance to survive, and the best chance of examining this outbreak. I'm not involved in the decision making, so I can only guess. I truly doubt it was done on a whim.
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)and since they are still alive, why not bring them here where sanitary measures have to be better..who knows, they may actually survive by coming home. The bodies would have had to have been shipped back anyway, and the contagion is still dangerous after death
I'm sure they have planned this out carefully..fingers crossed for all involved..
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)The linked article only talks about how allegedly awesome the jet is with no mention of the American victims.
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/special-cdc-jet-sets-off-bring-american-ebola-victims-back-home-605868
longship
(40,416 posts)They've been studying Ebola since the first outbreak. It's what they do and it's very doubtful that anybody on the planet does it better.
They are, after all, the Center for Disease Control.
KurtNYC
(14,549 posts)http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2014/07/29/ebola-outbreak-fears-will-any-drugs-work/
You may have missed the recent stories and Congressional hearings about the CDC's practices and lack of effective control of their anthrax, bird flu and smallpox samples; also the CDC's "gain of function" research:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/12/science/cdc-closes-anthrax-and-flu-labs-after-accidents.html?_r=0
http://www.wired.com/2014/07/cdc-accidents-hearing/
librechik
(30,674 posts)many of the victims (including the American doctor) were infected while using strict sanitary protocol, including gloves, masks, gowns etc. And after watching others die, I'm sure they were very thorough.
viruses are different than bacteria. So much is unknown, and there is no treatment.
sure bring them over here. What could possibly go wrong?
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)Who is picking up the cost?