Boston MedFlight, a critical care transport provider, is the launch customer for Shreveport, Louisiana-based Metro Aviation's STC for the Stryker Performance-LOAD manual cot fastener for BK117 C2/D2 models.

When the Society of Auto Engineers released its J3027 guidance regarding ground ambulance-based patient litters, it left many air ambulance crews scratching their heads. Crews were no longer able to quickly transfer a litter from the aircraft to the ground vehicle. Instead, they had to transfer the patient from the helicopter's stretcher to the ground vehicle's stretcher, costing minutes when time is of utmost importance.

A newly-certified fastener meets crash safety recommendations for SAE J3027 and provides guidance for loading and unloading to improve efficiencies. With this system, crews can now carry the same Stryker litters approved for ground transport and eliminate the need to move patients from ground litter to flight litter during transport.

“While Metro's original Stryker gurney system provided us with a very robust, independent and reliable process to transport our patients, the Performance Pro solution provides us with more flexibility by having a gurney that can be utilised both in our aircraft as well as our ground ambulances and in most first responders' ambulances,” comments Boston MedFlight director of base operations Charlie Blathras. “Many of our helicopter transports require the need for ground ambulance support and moving multiple times between gurneys increases the risk for our patients. The Performance Pro solution limits that overall risk and improves our system efficiency. We're grateful to Metro for hearing our concerns and collaborating on a solution that meets our patient needs.”

Metro is currently producing 25 systems to be available during the first quarter of 2021. The installation is similar to Metro Aviation's long-standing litter retention plate and can be installed in the field.