Intermountain Health Flight & Ambulance Services adjusted its flight operations on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, in response to a nationwide FAA ground stop and disruptions to air traffic control services. While fixed-wing medical transport requests were suspended until further notice, helicopter medical requests operating under visual flight rules could continue following a safety evaluation, the service announced.
Operational Adjustments for Safety
According to social media posts from Intermountain Health Flight & Ambulance Services, the decision to suspend fixed-wing requests was made to address the impact of the FAA ground stop. The service noted that the safety of patients and caregivers remains its primary priority during these operational adjustments.
Helicopter and Case-by-Case Reviews
The service clarified that while fixed-wing operations are halted, helicopter medical requests may proceed if they are operating under visual flight rules and pass a safety evaluation. For patients with time-sensitive needs, officials stated that teams would evaluate those specific cases on a case-by-case basis as conditions changed throughout the day.
Impact of FAA Ground Stop
The disruption to air traffic control services prompted these changes to medical flight operations. The nationwide nature of the FAA ground stop necessitated these adjustments to ensure that medical transport services could navigate the changing aviation environment safely.
Ongoing Monitoring
As the situation evolves, Intermountain Health Flight & Ambulance Services continues to monitor the conditions surrounding the FAA ground stop and air traffic control disruptions to determine when normal flight operations can resume.
Regional Emergency Response
The disruption occurred alongside other significant regional developments, including the opening of an emergency operations center at Salt Lake Airport during the nationwide ground stop.
