Noordzee Helikopters Vlaandere (NHV) has begun operation of an MD900 Explorer at its new facility in Antwerp, Belgium, carrying out medical transport flights for the University Hospital of Antwerp.

The company’s main base is at Ostend Airport, where it flies offshore operations and makes vip charter flights. It also makes medical flights from facilities in Arras, France, and Bra-Sur-Lienne, Belgium.

Pilot Patrick von Rijsseghem told European Business Air News: “We have a facility at the hospital

itself with a room for the pilots and the helipad is near the emergency room. We expect to fly about one or two daytime missions per day in Antwerp.”

The Explorer can carry one patient, two medical crew and a pilot and, according to Rijsseghem, is ideally suited to medical flights. “It has a Notar tail rotor and the rotor radius is extremely small compared with other helicopters and, of course, we have had experience with the MD900 in Arras. In terms of price and quality, it’s the best helicopter for the job,” he said.

The company also operates charter flights through Sky Service, which uses NHV’s helicopters.

The helicopters which have been assigned for medical flights are not used for other commercial activities, however.

At the end of last year, NHV bought its third Dauphin AS365 – one of which is used for vip charter flights – to complement its fleet of Explorers and an EC120B Colibri, which is used for taxi flights and aerial work.