Memorial Hermann Life Flight will become the first operator to use Airbus’s new medium H160 in the emergency medical services (EMS) sector, the organization has announced.
The news follows soon after the H160 made its long-awaited entry into service in the U.S. with offshore operator PHI, and represents another landmark for the H160 program.
The Houston, Texas-based Memorial Hermann Life Flight — provided by Memorial Hermann Health System — has placed an order for one H160, as well as four H145s, to replace its current fleet of EC145s. No delivery date for the H160 has been disclosed.
“The enhanced technology and safety features, larger cabin and cargo space, increased fuel load and shorter reconfiguration times will provide us with the capabilities of a mobile intensive care unit,” said Tom Flanagan, consultant and program director of Memorial Hermann Life Flight.
The service was founded almost 50 years ago by trauma surgeon Dr. James “Red” Duke. Its current fleet of instrument flight rules (IFR)-capable EC145s is operated from the John Dunn Heliport at Memorial Hermann Hospital, and cover a radius of 150 miles. It also has five additional remote bases within this area to provide a swifter response to outlying areas.
“Memorial Hermann invested in this new fleet of helicopters to expand our reach and allow us to help even more people who are in critical need of air ambulance transport,” said Toni Von Wenkstern, vice president, trauma, Memorial Hermann Health Systems.
Bart Reijnen, president of Airbus Helicopters, Inc. and head of the North America region for the manufacturer, said Memorial Hermann Life Flight has long been a leader in the HEMS market.
“Our team is proud of the long-standing partnership we have with the program, and is dedicated to supporting them as their new helicopters enter into service and throughout the fleet’s lifecycle,” he said.
