American Eurocopter displays EC135 and EC145 transport conference

East Anglian Air Ambulance Eurocopter EC135 T2 at Cambridge (Photo: Terry Spruce, Corporate Jet Investor)

Helicopter manufacturer Eurocopter will show its EC135 and EC145 models on the exhibition stand at the Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) in Virginia Beach.

Eurocopter EC145 T2 flying (Photo: © Eurocopter Charles Abarr)

American Eurocopter is exhibiting its EC135 and EC145 models at the Air Medical Transport Conference in Virginia Beach, VA this week. The twin-engine helicopters are two of the most utilised types in medical air transport, with over 200 EC135s used for this purpose in the US.

The EC135 belongs to Vidant Medical Transport’ and entered service in May 2010. The aircraft is operated by Vidant Health, a regional health care system serving 1.4 million residents of 29 counties in eastern North Carolina. Vidant has a fleet of three aircraft, including an additional EC145s.

“Since 1988, American Eurocopter aircraft have been proudly utilized within our program at Vidant Medical Center,” said Jon Berge, programme aviation manager for Vidant. “These machines have proven to be rugged and reliable performing aircraft for more than 25 years in eastern North Carolina.”

The EC145 on display at the event belongs to Indiana University which has a fleet of six EC145s and is one of the largest hospital-based air medical service providers in the US.

“Our dedication to safety and patient access led us to choose the EC145,” says Steve Johnson, director for Indiana University Health LifeLine.

The EC145 is the largest and most advanced helicopter for air medical transport, according to Eurocopter executives.

“American Eurocopter has worked hard to earn the trust and business of the Air Medical Transport industry by providing aircraft designed and tailored specifically for these important missions and following up with strong support and service for our customers,” says Marc Paganini, American Eurocopter president and chief executive.