Every year, thousands of critically ill patients fly home, reach specialized care, or travel cross-country accompanied by medical teams operating in one of healthcare’s most demanding environments. At 35,000 feet, routine clinical challenges become complex puzzles. Altitude changes physiology. Cabin pressure affects equipment. Space is limited. Time is critical. Yet most healthcare professionals receive little to no formal training for these scenarios.
That’s the gap Velosity set out to close.
What started as a response to urgent need has become the global standard. Built on decades of real flight operations and frontline clinical expertise, Velosity trains nurses, paramedics, physicians, and transport specialists across Canada and internationally, preparing them not just to survive aeromedical transport, but to excel at it.
Founded and led by Gail Courneyea, Founder and Chief Executive of the aeromedical education initiative and President and CEO of Angels of Flight Canada Inc., Velosity combines real-world aviation experience with clinical excellence. The result is the trusted name in aeromedical education, safety training, and aviation-informed clinical practice.
Where healthcare meets the skies, Velosity leads the way.
Let’s explore how Velosity is transforming aeromedical education worldwide!
A Unique Environment
Patient care during air and ground transport requires more than clinical skill. It demands a strong understanding of altitude, pressure changes, vibration, noise, equipment limitations, and the unpredictable nature of flight. Many clinicians do not encounter these challenges until they are already mid-mission, facing the realities of a constantly moving aircraft cabin. Traditional healthcare training does not fully prepare them for in-flight emergencies, patient deterioration at altitude, or the collaborative decision-making required within aviation protocols.
Velosity was created to fill this gap. Its founders understood that aeromedical clinicians must be as comfortable in an aircraft as they are at the bedside. For care to be effective, the aircraft must function as a usable clinical workspace. Achieving this requires training that blends medical expertise with aviation literacy, flight physiology, and clear operational understanding.
Three Decades of Operational Experience
What sets this organization apart is the depth of real-world experience behind its curriculum. More than 30 years of involvement in air medical transport form the foundation of its programs, workshops, and simulations. This practical insight ensures that every lesson reflects the actual challenges faced in the air, rather than theoretical situations that may not represent real practice.
From international missions to remote community flights, the instructional team brings firsthand knowledge of multiple aircraft environments. They have worked in helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and commercial escort missions, as well as long-distance evacuations and medical repatriations. Their experience ensures the training remains relevant, grounded, and reflective of the conditions clinicians will encounter in the field.
A Multidisciplinary Educator Team
The strength of Velosity’s programs comes from an interdisciplinary team of professionals, including flight nurses, advanced care paramedics, aviation specialists, and clinical leaders. These educators translate their experience into practical guidance, helping learners develop decision-making skills, safety awareness, communication strategies, and the ability to respond effectively to crises in the air.
Their international backgrounds deepen the learning experience. Whether teaching in Canada or abroad, they bring insights shaped by real missions, altitude physiology, equipment challenges, and the responsibility of managing critically ill patients while thousands of feet above the ground.
A Full Suite of Aeromedical Programs
Velosity offers a wide range of programs designed for both new and experienced transport clinicians. The curriculum covers aeromedical physiology, in-flight emergency management, aviation safety, and clinical care adapted to air transport. Learners can build foundational knowledge or refine advanced transport-specific skills through structured pathways.
Key program components include:
- Aeromedical Physiology: Understanding altitude, pressure changes, gas laws, and environmental stressors.
- In-Flight Crisis Response: Managing deteriorating patients in confined airborne spaces.
- Crew Resource Management (CRM): Strengthening communication, teamwork, and situational awareness.
- Survival Principles: Essential knowledge for unexpected landings or emergencies.
- Critical Care and Trauma Transport: Managing complex patients during air transfer.
- Cross-Platform Operations: Preparing for rotary-wing, fixed-wing, and airline escort missions.
These offerings help clinicians develop confidence and competence within the unique environment of air transport.
Travel Safety Education for a Global Audience
Beyond aeromedical education, Velosity offers a Travel Safety Series for individuals, organizations, and global travelers. These courses use aviation safety principles to teach:
- Hotel and airport safety
- Infectious disease precautions
- Travel preparedness
- Managing unexpected events abroad
This reflects the organization’s broader commitment to proactive safety education. Whether supporting clinicians or everyday travelers, the goal is to help people navigate unfamiliar environments with confidence.
An International Reach
Over the years, the organization’s reputation has extended far beyond Canada. Its educators have delivered workshops, lectures, and specialized instruction internationally. This reach demonstrates the global need for aviation-aware clinical training and the trust placed in Velosity’s methods.
Healthcare professionals, hospitals, assistance companies, safety organizations, and government agencies rely on its expertise to maintain readiness and improve patient safety during transport. The worldwide demand highlights the value and adaptability of its curriculum.
Academic Partnerships
Academic collaboration plays an important role in Velosity’s work. Through involvement with Toronto Metropolitan University and Fleming College, the team supports clinical mentorship, experiential learning, and skill development for future nurses. These partnerships reflect a commitment to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals, some of whom may enter the aeromedical field.
This engagement reinforces the belief that aviation awareness can strengthen the practice of any emerging clinician, broadening their career opportunities and contributing to stronger emergency and critical care systems.
The Operational Foundation: Angels Of Flight Canada
Velosity’s credibility stems from its close connection to Angels of Flight Canada, an aeromedical transport and flight medical case-management company established in 1988. This relationship ensures its educational programs stay aligned with real-time operations, international standards, and the evolving challenges of global medical transport.
Because its curriculum is continually informed by actual missions and frontline experiences, learners receive instruction that accurately reflects the realities of aeromedical care.
The Roots of Aeromedical Education: Gail Courneyea
The organization’s origin is rooted in the vision of Gail. Early in her nursing career, she accompanied a patient on an air ambulance flight and saw the need for formal aeromedical training. She pursued further education and earned her private pilot’s licence, combining clinical and aviation knowledge in a way that was rare at the time.
Her leadership contributed to the establishment of Angels of Flight Canada, long before flight-nurse roles were widely recognized. Decades of operational involvement and educational development have made her a respected figure in aeromedical innovation.
Awards and Recognition
Gail’s work has been acknowledged through notable honours, including:
- YWCA Woman of the Year (Health Sciences)
- Women in Business Award
- Ontario Premier’s Award in Health Sciences
These awards reflect her lasting contributions to healthcare, aviation safety, and aeromedical education, and highlight the impact of her leadership on clinicians and transport teams.
A Legacy of Philanthropy
Gail’s dedication extends beyond her professional achievements. After losing her daughter to leukemia, she founded Global Angel, a charitable organization that supports families in need of medical travel assistance. This work reflects compassion, resilience, and a commitment to helping others during difficult moments.
Her personal and professional efforts form the foundation on which Velosity’s programs stand today, shaped by real human experience and a strong focus on safety and care.
A Clinician-led, Aviation-informed Curriculum
Velosity’s curriculum mirrors the environment in which it is applied. For aeromedical clinicians, that setting is a constantly moving, vibrating aircraft that presents unique challenges. The training is deeply operational, built by clinicians with transport experience, informed by international missions, and designed to prepare individuals for the full range of airborne care.
Instead of relying solely on theory, the programs incorporate the realities of workload management, communication under pressure, equipment limitations, and the cognitive demands of in-flight care. The focus is always on sound decision-making that prioritizes patient safety.
Training Grounded in Real Missions
A defining strength of the organization is its use of real transport experiences. Learners explore case studies, operational insights, and mission analyses drawn directly from actual events. This approach helps participants develop judgment and practical skills that extend beyond the classroom.
Simulations replicate altitude challenges, unexpected patient deterioration, equipment issues, and communication barriers. Through this, learners build confidence and become more prepared for the unpredictable nature of aeromedical care.
Customized Learning Pathways
Recognizing that each learner’s goals differ, Velosity offers customized pathways for individuals at all stages of their careers. New clinicians can build foundational understanding, while experienced providers can pursue advanced training. Organizations can request tailored programs to meet specific safety or operational needs.
This flexibility keeps learning relevant and supportive of each participant’s goals, whether they are entering the field, progressing within it, or preparing for new environments.
Trusted By Professionals and Organizations Worldwide
The trust placed in Velosity by healthcare professionals, hospitals, government agencies, and international organizations reflects its long-standing reputation for quality. Its programs are valued for their practical application, integrity, and ability to prepare clinicians for the realities of aeromedical care.
Velosity offers more than individual courses. It provides a complete learning ecosystem that includes foundational knowledge, practical skills, aviation literacy, and crisis response. This interconnected approach mirrors the realities of aeromedical operations, where clinical care and aviation principles must work hand in hand.
The result is a learning environment that prepares participants not only to understand aeromedical practice but to excel within it.
Empowering Clinicians and Travelers Alike
Whether guiding clinicians or helping travelers build safety awareness, Velosity remains committed to giving individuals the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate challenging environments. It recognizes that preparation, both clinical and personal, begins with education. Through its programs, learners develop the clarity and resilience required to respond effectively to difficult situations.
The Future of Aeromedical Education
As global medical transport continues to evolve, the need for aviation-aware clinicians will grow. Advances in aircraft technology, changing travel patterns, and increasing demand for long-distance medical transfers highlight the importance of training that keeps pace with the industry.
Velosity remains dedicated to advancing its curriculum, expanding its global impact, and serving as a trusted partner to aeromedical professionals. Through ongoing innovation and a strong operational foundation, it will continue shaping the future of aeromedical practice.
The Path Forward
Grounded in experience, guided by aviation principles, and shaped by the vision of a pioneering leader, Velosity stands at the forefront of aeromedical education. Its programs prepare clinicians and travelers to operate with confidence in the air, on the ground, and across borders. With strong operational roots and a commitment to real-world application, it continues to set the standard for training that strengthens safety and transforms practice.
Preparing individuals for wherever a mission may lead, Velosity remains a trusted name in aeromedical learning and global travel readiness.
