September 24, 2021 – Waukesha Co., WI – Flight For Life will add two new helicopters to its fleet in December, and will maintain one existing aircraft to serve as a back-up.
“Introducing new aircraft is a critical step in expanding service to our communities,” said Leif Erickson, Executive Director of Flight For Life.
“While we have utilized our current aircraft for 13 years, totaling over 5,000 hours, with great success, this advanced technology will expand our capabilities immensely and allow Flight For Life to continue offering safe, high-quality, customer-oriented and efficient medical transportation throughout the region – including at our newly-announced base at Burlington Municipal Airport.”
EC145 C2E models, the helicopters will bolster Flight For Life’s ability to serve patients throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. New features include a brand new, state-of-the-art medical interior and an increased avionics package with live satellite tracking, dual autopilot control system, real-time weather radar, in-flight cockpit reporting, and terrain and collision awareness avoidance systems.
This upgraded avionics system also allows for the Flight for Life communication center to monitor aircraft system statuses, like fuel levels and fluid temperatures, in real time – helping provide additional safety to FFL crews and patients.
The new aircraft will be able to perform both VFR (Visual) and IFR (Instrumental) Flight, ensuring that FFL is able to safely navigate in a wider range of inclement weather conditions by leveraging instrumental navigation tools rather than relying solely on pilots’ visual capacity.
Increased payloads and large interiors in these new aircraft will enable FFL to support additional, specialty equipment for complex transports. At the same time, the small footprint of the aircraft will ensure that FFL is able to land safely at incident scenes.
“Our crews at Flight For Life are eager for December,” said Erickson. “Because the new aircraft will have similar airframes to our current model, the training process will be swift and smooth, and patients will gain the full benefits of these updated aircraft as soon as possible.”
Visually, these aircraft are also getting an upgrade. The new helicopters will boast a new paint scheme for the first time in almost 30 years.