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HealthNet Orders New EC135 and First EC145 for Air Medical Operations
HealthNet Aeromedical Services of Charleston, W.V., is again expanding its fleet of American Eurocopter helicopters, ordering its third EC135 and first EC145.
Both aircraft will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2009.
“We’ve been flying Eurocopter products since our program’s inception in 1986,” said Chip Sovick, President and CEO of HealthNet. “We are very pleased with the technology, safety, and suitability of the aircraft for the air medical mission.”
The HealthNet fleet, which has completed 50,000 accident-free missions, also includes four AS350s. The helicopters transport 3,500 patients a year, providing scene, interfacility, neonatal and pediatric transfers. HealthNet is a consortium owned by three hospital partners that includes West Virginia University Hospitals, Charleston Area Medical Center, and Cabell Huntington Hospital.
Working in conjunction with Air Methods and Med Flight of Ohio, HealthNet serves West Virginia and surrounding states, including Kentucky and Ohio.
“HealthNet has flown American Eurocopter products for 23 years, and it is a point of pride to be their provider of choice,” said Marc Paganini, President & CEO of American Eurocopter. “They remain a valued customer, and we commend them for consistently outstanding performance and an exceptional commitment to safe flight.”
The HealthNet fleet is equipped with a number of advanced technologies that underscore the operation’s safety focus. These include Dual-Pilot Instrument Flight Rules capability, Night Vision Goggles for pilots and crew, Helicopter Terrain Awareness Warning System, and Wire Strike Kit. Interior completions of the new helicopters will occur after customer delivery.
American Eurocopter’s EC135 is the twin-engine platform of choice for air medical operators, accounting for 60 percent of all twin-engine air medical services deliveries over the past decade. The EC135 is offered with a wide range of dedicated EMS interiors, maximizing the operator’s choice for single-patient, dual-patient or isolette transport.
The EC135’s Fenestron tail rotor and rear clamshell doors offer the safest and easiest loading possible, while the aircraft’s anti-resonance isolation system ensures that patients are given the smoothest possible ride. The EC145 offers multi-mission capability in a medium-class, twin-engine helicopter.
Operators appreciate the aircraft’s speed, advanced glass cockpit, extra-large cabin and exceptional visibility. With high-set main and tail rotors, the EC145 ensures safe ground operations, even during “hot” loading/unloading with blades turning.
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