In 1997, Metro Aviation completed its first Airbus Helicopters EC135 for STAT MedEvac, serial number 0009. Since then, the worldwide completion leader has customized many EC135’s for air medical, law enforcement, utility and corporate clients. Recently, Metro delivered its 200th EC135 completion to California Shock Trauma Air Rescue (CALSTAR).

The EC135, designed and produced by industry leading Airbus Helicopters, is known for its multi-mission flexibility. The lightweight, twin-engine helicopter boasts many operational features, enabling the aircraft to perform a full range of mission requirements while carrying more payload over longer distances than any aircraft in its class.

“Metro Aviation has believed in the EC135 for a long time,” said Metro Aviation Managing Director Milton Geltz. “EC135’s make up the majority of our completions and that is because we trust the product and our customers trust us to customize it to their exact specifications.”

Metro Aviation is the largest air medical completion center in the world and operates more than 120 air medical helicopters and airplanes across the country. Metro is part of a larger air medical community that transports 400,000 patients annually. With almost 50 million Americans living more than an hour away from a Level 1 or 2 trauma center, the products and services that Metro provides are truly lifesaving.

“Metro Aviation has done an outstanding job over the years of performing completions on all of our aircraft and meeting the exacting requirements of our customers,” said Marc Paganini, President and CEO of Airbus Helicopters Inc. “The completion of the 200th EC135 is testimony to the successful partnership between our two companies and the high quality of work and service Metro provides our customers.

”Metro’s decision to place orders with Airbus Helicopters Inc. for both EC145 and EC135 helicopters shows that this partnership will continue for years to come,” said Paganini.

Metro Aviation is an FAA Certified Airframe Modification, Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Facility. Metro is the first of any existing Part 145 certificate holder to exit Level III of the FAA SMS Pilot Project.

The 200th EC135 delivery is the eighth and final aircraft for CALSTAR’s fleet modernization. Metro Aviation delivered the first ship of the modernization in 2012.

Lynn Malmstrom, President and CEO of CALSTAR said, “We highly value the work performed and our relationship with the entire Metro Aviation team to deliver to CALSTAR, on-time and on-budget, eight new EC135 aircraft as the backbone of our rotor wing fleet. We could not ask for better partners!”

Metro Aviation completes an average of 35 aircraft each year at is 160,000 sf headquarters in Shreveport, Louisiana.