A modular Airbus H140 medical interior concept developed by Metro Aviation has been unveiled at the Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) in Fort Worth, Texas. The design was developed in close collaboration with Airbus Helicopters and informed by years of feedback from air medical operators. The H140 was first unveiled at Verticon in March 2025.

Designed to address the evolving needs of helicopter emergency medical services, the interior takes advantage of the H140's larger cabin and redesigned rear floor. Unlike the H135's rounded rear floor edge, the H140 features a straight rear edge that allows stretchers to align squarely with the cabin entrance, reducing the potential for misalignment or slipping during loading and unloading. The improved configuration provides greater flexibility and accessibility for medical crews.

The concept incorporates a centralised medical console, multiple equipment mounting locations, an aft storage cabinet and provisions for a powered stretcher system. Together, these features are designed to improve access to critical equipment, maximise usable cabin space and support a variety of medical transport requirements.

Amy McMullen, director of aircraft configuration at Metro Aviation, says: “We’ve spent years listening to what medical crews need from their aircraft. With the H140, we have an opportunity to take that feedback and develop an interior around how they actually work, rather than asking them to adapt to the aircraft.”

Metro has collaborated extensively with Airbus Helicopters throughout the H140's development, providing operator feedback and working alongside the manufacturer to evaluate cabin functionality and medical transport requirements during multiple visits to the manufacturer's facilities in Germany.

Shawn Bruton, Part 145 director of maintenance at Metro Aviation, says: “We’ve worked closely with its team to help shape the interior of an aircraft that addresses many of the challenges we’ve seen in previous platforms.”

A primary focus of the new interior is modularity. Multiple equipment mounting locations and customisable components will allow operators to configure the cabin according to their specific medical equipment and operational needs, including critical care and specialist transport.

The H140’s revised rear loading configuration also addresses longstanding challenges associated with patient loading in smaller helicopters, while the larger cabin offers improved accessibility around the patient during flight.

The mock-up displayed at AMTC represents an initial concept rather than the final production design. Metro is gathering feedback from medical crews and operators at the conference, helping guide continued development and refinement of the interior.

Bruton adds: “What we’re bringing to AMTC is a starting point. We want people to walk through it, tell us what works, tell us what doesn’t and help us make it better.”

As a US launch customer for the H140, Metro will receive North America’s first aircraft and develop and obtain its own STC for the air medical interior. Metro has reached an agreement with Airbus for 12 H140 aircraft, with deliveries anticipated between 2028 and 2031, subject to Airbus’s production schedule. The company also holds options for an additional 24 aircraft, bringing the potential total to 36 H140s.

Based in Shreveport, Louisiana, Metro provides helicopter completion services and specialises in air medical completions, with several STCs developed for a variety of helicopters. The privately held company is an FAA-approved repair station, an approved Airbus Helicopters service centre and a FAR Part 135 air medical operations provider at several locations across the US.