August 13, 2012

New helicopters mark new era for Survival Flight

Three new maize-and-blue helicopters will soon be saving lives in the air above the Great Lakes states, and speeding patients toward advanced care at U-M’s hospitals.

The arrival of three new American Eurocopter 155 helicopters marks the beginning of a new era for the 29-year-old U-M Survival Flight program, which was the first medical flight service in Michigan. The first one entered service Friday afternoon.

UMHS chose the new aircraft to replace three Bell 430 helicopters that have been icons since 1998. More than 10,000 critically ill and injured patients and donated organs for transplant have passed through their cabin doors, each flight carrying a unique story of pain and hope. Together, they have flown the distance to the moon and back several times.

Now, Survival Flight will be able to travel further, faster and more quietly, using the first EC155s to be put into emergency medical service in the U.S. They will enhance the Health System’s ability to provide advanced, high quality and safe care to patients from across the state, region and nation in partnership with other institutions.

The new helicopters are equipped with advanced equipment and safety features, including the ability to fly in low-visibility conditions. They have nearly 50 percent more cabin space for nurses and patients, an all-glass cockpit and a 500-mile range allows them to fly as far as Syracuse, N.Y., or Louisville, Ky. without refueling.

Their five-blade main rotors and shrouded Fenestron tail rotors reduce vibration and noise, providing a smooth ride at high speeds. A much shorter warm-up time shaves critical minutes from both ends of flights, as does a faster cruising speed.

“We’re excited about the helicopters’ increased capabilities and safety features, but it’s also important to remember that the heart of Survival Flight will remain the same, and by that I mean our dedicated team of highly skilled fight nurses, pilots, memechanics and communications specialists,”says Mark Lowell, M.D., Survival Flight’s medical director.

“Survival Flight is about more than just getting a really sick patient from point A to point B,” he adds. “It’s about the highly specialized care the patient receives before, during and after transport.”

Tony Denton, executive director of University Hospitals and chief operating officer of the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers, says the new helicopters are part of the Health System’s effort to create the ideal patient care experience including advanced care provided with the utmost attention to safety.

“The rapid transport of acutely ill and complex patients to U-M hospitals gives every Michigander, and residents of all the Great Lakes states, timely access to sophisticated, compassionate and safe care for children and adults. We are eager to offer this latest technology to those in need,” he says.