Setting up a neonatal transport service: air transport.

Air transport is an integral part of any system that provides neonatal care in the developed world. To ensure that this is developed in an efficient and appropriate manner a prospective analysis is required to allow a multidisciplinary team to progress a project aimed at providing appropriate staff with adequate training using equipment that has satisfied all regulatory bodies. This article highlights the difficulties in achieving this, reflecting on the way in which established air transport teams have overcome many of the difficulties. The commonalities with land based transport are emphasised along with those issues which are specific to teams providing such a service who aspire to become "air capable".