Abstract: Systems and methods for using a guidewire to intubate a standard endotracheal tube in a patient. An insertion mechanism is used to enable delivery of a guidewire to the tracheal cavity of a patient. The guidewire is then threaded up the tracheal cavity, through the glottic opening and up either the oropharyngeal airway, so as to extend out of the patient's mouth, or up the nasopharyngeal airway, so as to extend out of the patient's a nostril. A typical endotracheal tube, having a channel that extends from a proximal end to a distal end of the tube, is coupled to the guidewire and is positioned into the tracheal cavity of the patient by using the guidewire to withdraw the tube down the airway and into the trachea. The endotracheal tube is decoupled from the guidewire, and the guidewire is removed from the patient, leaving the endotracheal tube properly intubated in the patient.