Ann Lowell Receives 'Pilot of the Year' Award

The National EMS Pilot Association (NEMSPA) presented Ann Lowell with the 2015 Pilot of the Year Award. Lowell is the lead pilot for Haiti Air Ambulance, flying emergency helicopter transports in the country of Haiti. She is only the second woman to receive this distinction since the organization began awarding it.

Each year, NEMSPA accepts hundreds of thousands of nominations for this award from the nationwide emergency air medical community to recognize an individual who stands out in terms of professional achievements and contributions to the safety of air medical operations. Lowell has been flying in the US from more than 19 years and in Haiti since 2014.

Lowell attended flight school near Portland, Oregon. At the onset of her flying career, she established herself as a chief flight instructor at a school located in Sacramento, California. Lowell was then contracted by the United States Fire Service to fight wildfires in the western United States. Later, she worked for a Nevada-based helicopter tour operator enjoying the natural wonders of the Grand Canyon.

But Lowell continued to track her path to the helicopter air ambulance industry. After reaching the necessary requirements, she began her career with OmniFlight Helicopters, now part of Air Methods. It is through Air Methods, which Haiti Air Ambulance subcontracts for pilots and helicopters, that Lowell found her way to Haiti where she leads the aviation team at the Haiti Air Ambulance base.

"Few pilots are as worthy of this distinction as Ann Lowell. As our lead pilot, she flies patients under some of the most challenging circumstances, yet maintains grace under pressure," said Ralph McDaniel, Haiti Air Ambulance executive director. "She is also an inspiring leader who exudes a positive, safety-first attitude followed by all on the base."

Ann Lowell currently lives between Port au Prince, Haiti, and California, USA. While on rotation in Haiti, she flies almost daily, occasionally several flights per day. Lowell is a strong advocate of the continuous improvement of the Federal Aviation Administration's safety management system (SMS) and contributes to a sound safety culture at both Haiti Air Ambulance's base and Air Methods.