Life Flight Network has placed an order for five Airbus H135 helicopters to support critical emergency medical missions across the US Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West. These new aircraft will build on its order for three new H135s placed in 2025, bringing its total number aircraft ordered to eight.

The new twin-engine rotorcraft will support the not-for-profit air ambulance provider in providing emergency transport to critically ill and injured patients in communities throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Deliveries will expand Life Flight Network's advanced air medical capabilities, outfitting medical crews with modern flight decks and dedicated clinical space.

“Every investment in our fleet is an investment in the patients and communities who count on us,” says Ben Clayton, CEO of Life Flight Network. “Across the Pacific Northwest, Intermountain West and Hawaii, our crews serve communities separated by mountain ranges, oceans and vast rural distances. The H135's advanced safety features and air medical capabilities are well suited to the demands of serving this diverse region. We're pleased to continue our partnership with Airbus as we invest in the future of our fleet and strengthen access to critical care for the communities we serve.”

“Life Flight Network provides a vital lifeline to millions of people across the Pacific Northwest, and Airbus is honoured by its continued trust in our rotorcraft,” adds Bart Reijnen, head of the North America region at Airbus Helicopters. “The H135 continues to set the standard for air medical services, combining exceptional reliability, advanced safety technologies and quiet flight performance so that dedicated clinical teams can carry out their lifesaving work safely and efficiently.”

The Airbus H135 is the market reference in emergency medical services, recognised for its spacious, climate-controlled cabin, high-set main rotor and signature Fenestron shrouded tail rotor that enhances ground safety during patient loading. The aircraft features the Airbus Helionix digital avionics suite, which includes a four-axis autopilot to reduce pilot workload and improve operational safety during day and night missions in complex weather conditions. The H135 also maintains the lowest acoustic footprint in its class.

More than 1,500 H135 family helicopters are in service worldwide, logging more than eight million cumulative flight hours across medical, law enforcement and utility configurations.

Life Flight Network operates a combined rotary and fixed-wing fleet of roughly 60 aircraft, making it the largest not-for-profit air medical programme in the US. The eight H135s on order would represent a material addition to the Airbus side of a fleet that until recently was built almost entirely around Bell and Leonardo types.