U.S. Operator First to Order Airbus H160 for HEMS Flights
HEMS operator Memorial Hermann Life Flight (MHLF), which operates within a 150-mile radius of the Texas Medical Center in Houston, has ordered one H160 and four H145 helicopters from Airbus to replace its existing Eurocopter EC145 fleet. In doing so, MHLF has become the first HEMS operator in the world to order the H160 for air medical missions.
“Memorial Hermann Life Flight has been an Airbus helicopter user since 1988, when the company was known as Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm and we purchased three BK117 helicopters from them,” said Tom Flanagan, MHLF’s program director and internal consultant. “Our current fleet of six EC145s are about 16 years old, which is why we’re looking to replace the fleet and upgrade its capabilities.”
MHLF was established by Memorial Hermann trauma surgeon Dr. James “Red” Duke in 1976, and originally flew an Aérospatiale Alouette III single engine helicopter for its HEMS operation. To date, this HEMS has flown over 166,000 life-saving missions using Airbus helicopters exclusively. The H160 is the third generation of this company’s helicopters to support MHLF’s aerial operations.
“We chose the H160 because of its increased payload capacity,” Flanagan said. “Compared to the H145, the extra room in the H160's cabin allows for more crew in the back of the aircraft when needed. It also has a lower operating cost and better fuel efficiency than other comparable medium helicopters. The H160 is also a twin engine aircraft, which all of our aircraft are for safety redundancy.”
According to Airbus, the H160 is a technologically advanced medium rotorcraft with two Safran Arrano 1A helicopter engines. Sizewise, it sits between the company’s H145 and H175 aircraft. Already used for a variety of passenger missions, the H160 has a 158 mph cruising speed and a range of 546 miles. Its interior can be configured to carry one or two stretchers for HEMS missions.
As much as MHLF appreciates the quality of their existing EC-145s—four of which are in active service, with the other two acting as backups and spares—their age is starting to become an issue. “As the aircraft get older and you have more hours on them, the operating costs continue to go up,” said Flanagan. “Meanwhile, the new H160 and the H145s come with new technology both for the aviation side as well as the medical side of the house. They will help us carry blood supplies and support doing ultrasounds while in the air, to determine if the patient needs to go directly to the operating room or the trauma emergency department upon arrival.”
Another benefit of MHLF’s new Airbus helicopters will be their smoother, quieter rides, thanks to their use of the company’s new Blue Edge rotor blades. “It's important to keep the aircraft safe and smooth for the safety of our crews and the patients they carry aloft,” said Toni Von Wenckstern, Memorial Hermann’s VP of trauma services. “Every vibration matters, whether it's a 12 hour-old tiny baby in an isolette or it's an adult that has all kinds of heart devices on.”
At the time this article was written, MHLF was conducting a $55 million fundraising campaign to pay for its new Airbus helicopters. Meanwhile, “we're expecting the first H145 to arrive in Houston in February to March 2025,” Flanagan said. “Everyone here is pretty excited about getting a new HEMS fleet, and all they will allow us to do for our patients. They're excited about being the first HEMS to have an H160, and the new opportunities it will offer to Memorial Hermann Life Flight. It's kind of like when you go to buy a new car or new house, most of the time everyone's pretty excited about that.”
