Air Methods Corporation (Nasdaq:AIRM) recently signed an agreement with AeroSimulators to purchase three advanced aviation training devices which will be incorporated into the company’s pilot training program.
The main device is a replica of a Eurocopter EC135 helicopter, with an Air Methods-specific cockpit, and will be permanently located at corporate headquarters in Colorado. Training on this unit will be incorporated into pilot new hire training. The other two advanced aviation training devices are Eurocopter AS350 helicopter replicas that will be mobile, allowing Air Methods to move them around throughout the field operations. Use of the devices will allow instructors to practice emergency procedures not well suited to attempt in a training aircraft in flight and help reduce the amount of in aircraft training time.
Aaron Todd, Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Air Methods continuously strives to make our pilot training program better, and these new devices will help make our pilots even more proficient and confident. Official regulation on the use of these devices is still to be seen; however, we believe there are tremendous operational and safety benefits, making these devices well worth the investment, even without formal federal regulation.”
Air Methods Corporation (www.airmethods.com) is a leader in emergency air medical transportation and medical services. The Hospital Based Services Division is the largest provider of air medical transport services for hospitals. The Community Based Services Division is one of the largest community-based providers of air medical services. The Products Division specializes in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. The Company’s fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features over 300 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
The Air Methods Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6955
Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, including but not limited to the size, structure and growth of the Company’s air medical services and products markets; the collection rates for patient transports; the continuation and/or renewal of air medical service contracts; the acquisition of profitable Products Division contracts and other flight service operations; the successful expansion of the community-based operations; and other matters set forth in the Company’s public filings.