In keeping with its commitment to provide exceptional patient care, Medical Air Rescue Company (MARC) will soon operate its first Airbus helicopter, the versatile single-engine H130, following a signature ceremony at the 2018 Air Medical Transport Conference in Phoenix, AZ.
The acquisition is part of a long-term plan by the provider to modernize its fleet and expand its operations into the challenging mountainous regions in Wyoming, where the aircraft will be based. Scheduled for delivery in December, the new aircraft will help the growing organization serve roughly 2,400 patients a year through its rotary and fixed wing operations across South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and Texas.
“When selecting our new aircraft, we considered two major factors — patient care and safety,” said Paul “Monty” Renfro, CEO of MARC. “The H130 delivers on both of those aspects and more, and will help us achieve our main mission – to provide excellent, affordable patient care. We are confident that our new H130 will allow us to best serve the communities that depend on us.”
The H130’s superior high altitude and the large cabin size will help medical personnel effectively treat patients in challenging environments, and the aircraft’s low operating costs will allow MARC to provide safe, comfortable and worry-free medical transportation, per its mission statement.
“We are happy to welcome MARC to the Airbus family, and look forward to a strong partnership with this patient-centered provider, as it prepares for growth,” said Chris Emerson, President of Airbus Helicopters Inc. and Head of the North America region. “Its selection of the H130 is further evidence that air medical providers trust our aircraft to help them achieve their demanding missions. We know they have a choice and we are proud that they choose Airbus.”
The H130 is recognized as the global reference for single-engine helicopter ambulance missions, offering a twin-engine size with single-engine economy. The wide, unobstructed cabin allows easy access to care for patients, while large hinged and sliding doors make it easy to load and unload stretchers. The low interior sound levels and flat floor of the H130 provide a flexible cabin environment capable of accommodating up to three medical crew and specialty team equipment required to care for complex patients.
Airbus Helicopters Inc. is the leading provider of helicopters to the U.S. air medical transport industry. In the past decade alone, nearly two-thirds of all new EMS helicopters sold in the United States were produced by Airbus Helicopters. Today, more than 90 EMS operators in North America rely on more than 1,230 Airbus helicopters for their emergency care transport needs.
