The first of two new American Eurocopter EC145s are now in service for Air Care & Mobile Care, which serves Cincinnati’s University Hospital, West Chester Hospital in Butler County and the Greater Cincinnati region.

Air Care purchased the new aircraft at Heli-Expo 2012 to upgrade its fleet of BK117 helicopters, which it had flown for 25 years. The second EC145 is slated for delivery later this year.

Since its inception in 1984, the Air Care flight team has completed nearly 35,000 accident-free patient care flight missions. As a part of the continuum of care offered by the larger organization, Air Care & Mobile Care of UC Health – University Hospital, Air Care is the only program in the region to carry an emergency physician on every flight.

“UC Health University Hospital’s Air Care & Mobile Care Team is excited to continue our nearly 28 year relationship with American Eurocopter,” said Air Care & Mobile Care Clinical Director Teri Grau. “Evolving from the BO105, to the BK117’s and now the new EC145 airframes allows us to continue to operate in the latest state-of-the-art aircraft. With the enhanced safety and medical technology, the EC145 will provide Air Care the ability to provide an optimal level of excellence in the Advanced Transport Medicine environment.”

With a proven record of reliability and manufacturer support, the EC145 provides operators with multi-mission capability in a medium-class, twin-engine helicopter. Air Care selected the EC145 based on payload, range, SPIFR, WAAS and NVG capability. Powered by two Turbomeca ARRIEL engines, the EC145 offers a combination of speed and performance that, along with its high-set main and tail rotors, large cabin and rear-loading clamshell doors, has made it the helicopter of choice for a large number of EMS programs in the United States and worldwide.

“American Eurocopter is honored to have partnered with Air Care & Mobile Care for over 25 years,” said American Eurocopter Vice President of Commercial Sales and Marketing, Treg Manning. “The selection of two new EC145s is especially gratifying to us since it demonstrates confidence in our ability to support them for the next 25 years. We are very grateful and thank Air Care & Mobile Care for their confidence.”

The new EC145s are customized and operated by Metro Aviation of Shreveport, Louisiana.