Air Methods Corporation (Nasdaq: AIRM), the global leader in air medical transportation, provided an update on third quarter results. While community-based patient transports for the third quarter 2014 increased 7% to 15,789 from the prior-year quarter, patients transported for community bases in operation greater than one year decreased an estimated 375 transports, or 3%. Weather cancellations for these same bases increased by an estimated 59 transports compared with the prior-year quarter.

Preliminary net revenue per community-based transport for the third quarter 2014 was relatively unchanged at $11,972, as compared with $11,988 in the prior-year quarter. Net revenue per transport did not increase with price increases due to a decrease in privately insured patients as a percentage of transports, as well as a decrease in collections as a percentage of gross charges from private insurers. Transports of privately insured patients decreased from 34.2% to 32.6% of total transports during the third quarter, compared with the prior-year quarter. Collections as a percentage of gross charges from private insurers decreased from 74.6% in the prior-year quarter, to 73.5% in current-year quarter.

Primarily as a result of these factors, the Company expects to report net income of approximately $0.83 to $0.87 per share for the third quarter of 2014, compared with net income of $0.91 per share in the prior-year quarter. The Company stated that these preliminary results are subject to final quarter-end closing and review procedures and are therefore subject to change.

Aaron Todd, CEO, stated, “Quarterly fluctuations in flight volumes and net reimbursement per transport are not unusual for Air Methods; having both of these factors reflecting weakness in a third quarter is less typical. Air Methods has instituted a supplemental price increase of 3% effective October 1st to help offset these variables moving forward.”

The Company will report financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2014 after the close of the market on Thursday, November 6, 2014. Concurrently, the Company will post a financial supplement that contains operating statistics normally provided during its earnings call on its website, www.airmethods.com. The Company has scheduled a conference call for Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern to discuss these results, which should provide investors with sufficient time to interpret the additional information.

Interested parties can access the call by dialing (855) 601-0049 (domestic) or (720) 398-0100 (international) or by accessing the web cast at www.airmethods.com. A replay of the call will be available at (855) 859-2056 (domestic) or (404) 537-3406 (international), access number 24332617, for 3 days following the call and the web cast can be accessed at www.airmethods.com for 30 days.

Air Methods Corporation (www.airmethods.com) is the global leader in air medical transportation. The Air Medical Services Division is the largest provider of air medical transport services in the United States. The United Rotorcraft Division specializes in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace technology. The Tourism Division is comprised of Sundance Helicopters, Inc. and Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, which provides helicopter tours and charter flights in the Las Vegas/Grand Canyon region and Hawaii, respectively. Air Methods’ fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features over 400 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.