Ohio-based medical transport service provider UC Health Air Care & Mobile Care (UC Health) has upgraded its fleet of critical care helicopters with the addition of a new Airbus EC145e aircraft. The new helicopter will replace several older BK 117 aircraft currently in operation and is the third aircraft that Shreveport-headquartered completion centre Metro Aviation has worked on for UC Health.

The new EC145e is equipped with Metro's standard medical interior and Genesys Aerosystems' instrument flight rules (IFR) HeliSAS autopilot and stability augmentation, providing safety and workload reduction for both single and dual pilot operations. The aircraft also includes Outerlink Global Solutions' IRIS combined voice, video and flight data recorder. The video function and data monitoring are crucial for pilot training. The flight following, push-to-talk radio and live alerts and warnings allow the operational control centre to verify conditions in real time.

“UC Health is so excited to welcome our newest addition to the UC Health Air Care fleet,” says Ruda Jenkins, programme director for UC Health Air Care & Mobile Care. “It has been a pleasure working with Metro Aviation on the completion of our third aircraft. UC Health values the partnership we have with Metro Aviation and the attention to detail regarding aviation safety, patient safety and provider workflow. Together we will continue to provide the highest quality medical care to southwest Ohio.”

Metro Aviation, Genesys Aerosystems and S-TEC established an STC for the aircraft in February 2019. The HeliSAS system is a safety upgrade that significantly reduces the pilot's workload, making it easier to adjust radios, set destinations and more. The new medical helicopter also includes the Genesys Aerosystems IDU-450 EFIS. The IDU (integrated display units) and EFIS (electronic flight instrument system) configure the aircraft's display screens in various ways to show flight instruments, moving maps, flight planner, traffic and terrain, weather radar and engine displays.