Air Methods

In 1980, Roy Morgan founded Air Methods after a personal experience convinced him that properly equipped and staffed air medical service helicopters were a necessity.

Air Methods purchased CJ Systems Aviation Group, a leading provider of aeromedical transport, in October 2007.[3]

In 2011, Air Methods acquired Omniflight Helicopters, Inc., operating it as a wholly owned subsidiary. Omniflight Helicopters consisted of over 100 helicopters.[4]

In July 2011, Air Methods (Air Methods International, Ltd.) entered into a joint venture agreement with Basari Holding, AS and Anka Aerospace & Defense, LLC to form Helistar, AS. The joint venture company is headquartered in Ankara, Turkey.

In October 2012, Air Methods opened its state-of-the-art technologically advanced training center in Aurora, Colorado. Located near the corporate office, the 14,000-square-foot facility has a simulation areas, learning classrooms and office space. Also in 2012, the company diversified into helicopter tourism.

In 2016, Air Methods acquired Tri-State Care Flight.[5]

In 2017, Air Methods was purchased by American Securities LLC.[6]

In 2020 Air Methods received federal emergency relief funds as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response. A requirement of this funding is that companies are not allowed to charge people surprise bills for COVID-19 related services. Despite this, Air Methods has continued to issue such bills, which people are not required to pay.[7]

Air Methods provides services through three basic programs: Community-Based Service model (CBS), Hospital-Based Service model (HBS)[8] and Alternative-Delivery Model (ADM).[9] Under all three programs, Air Methods transports persons requiring intensive medical care from either the scene of an accident or general care hospitals, to trauma centers or tertiary care centers.

As of 2009, the CBS operated 105 bases at hospitals, fire stations or airports, operating more than 127 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Air Methods employees provide medical care to patients en route.

As of 2009, the HBS delivery model was serving 80 hospital customers in 33 states and operated a fleet of more than 170 hospital-based aircraft and medical care en route is provided by employees or contractors of customer hospitals.

A Bell 412 operated by Mercy Air, a subsidiary of Air Methods

As of 31 December 2013, Air Methods' fleet included 264 company owned aircraft, 136 leased and 55 aircraft owned by customers and operated under contract. Included in that total were 48 single engine helicopters and 1 Piper Saratoga operated by their Tourism division.[18] Air Methods Fleet of Helicopters includes:

• Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil[19][18]
• Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin[19][18]
• Eurocopter EC130[19][18]
• Eurocopter EC135[19][18]
• Eurocopter EC145[19][18] (including MBB/Kawasaki BK 117, the previous version)
• Bell 206[19][18] JetRanger and Bell 407[19][18]
• Bell 222[19][18] and Bell 430[19][18]
• Bell 412[18]
• Bell 429[19][18]
• AgustaWestland AW109[19][18]
• AgustaWestland AW119 Koala[19][18]
• MD Helicopters MD 902[19][18]

Fixed-wing craft owned and/or operated through Air Methods:

• Beechcraft King Air[19] 100[18]
• Beechcraft Super King Air 200[18]
• Pilatus PC-12[19][18]
• Cessna 208 Caravan
• Learjet 35[18]

Air Methods, as of 2006, had had a total of 19 accidents. Following a 2006 accident Craig Yale, vice president of corporate development, stated in a news conference shortly after the accident, "We fly over 100,000 hours a year, 85,000 missions a year, and in doing so have had very few fatal accidents over a 10-year period."

• In January 2005, an Air Methods helicopter crashed in Washington, D.C., resulting in two dead and one injured, and another crashed in Mississippi, killing one.[20]
• On December 10, 2006, three were killed in the 2006 Mercy Air helicopter accident in Cajon Pass, California.
• On May 10, 2008, helicopter N135UW, known as Med Flight 1, crashed near La Crosse, Wisconsin, fatally injuring all three crew members. Initial reports indicated that the helicopter "may have flown into a hill and or struck some trees." Impact debris and rotor blade fragments were found near the top of the 1,160 feet elevation ridgeline about 4.5 miles south of La Crosse Airport. Main debris was located 600 feet below that point around 930 feet elevation. La Crosse Municipal Airport field elevation is 654 feet. On September 3 of 2010 the NTSB released its report, finding that the probable cause of the accident was "The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees along the top of a ridgeline due to inadequate preflight planning, insufficient altitude, and the lack of a helicopter terrain awareness and warning system."
• On June 29, 2008, a Bell 407 medical helicopter operated by Air Methods collided with another medical helicopter in Arizona, killing all seven who were aboard both aircraft. Another Air Methods helicopter crashed in May in Wisconsin soon after taking off. Three people were killed in that accident: the pilot, flight doctor and flight nurse.[21]
• On July 28, 2010, LifeNet 12, a Eurocopter AS350B3 crashed in Tucson, Arizona, killing all three crewmembers aboard. LifeNet 12 based out of Douglas Arizona was en route back to Douglas from Marana, Arizona. Witnesses described the helicopter losing power in flight, crashing into the street below. It appeared from witnesses that the pilot was able to steer the aircraft away from landing into a house nearby.
• On August 26, 2011 four people (three crew members and one patient) were killed when a LifeNet Eurocopter AS350 based at Rosecrans Airport and connected to Heartland Hospital in St. Joseph, Missouri crashed near Liberty, Missouri. Initial crash reports indicated it had run out of fuel. The helicopter had traveled 45 miles from St. Joseph to Harrison County Community Hospital in Bethany, Missouri to pick up a patient. It did not refuel before traveling another 70 miles en route to its intended destination at Liberty Hospital. It was reported to be within a mile of landing for fuel at Midwest National Air Center in Mosby, Missouri (near Liberty) when it crashed.[22][23] In 2013 the NTSB received information indicating that texting may have been a contributing cause, making it the first time texting had been found to occur during a fatal air accident.[24]
• On July 3, 2015, a Eurocopter AS350B3 medical helicopter operated by Air Methods crashed into a parking lot in Frisco, Colorado. The pilot was fatally injured, and the two flight nurses on board were seriously injured. The helicopter was destroyed by post-crash fire.[25]
• On April 26, 2018, an Air Methods Corp Airbus Helicopters AS350B2 (N127LN), apparently operating on behalf of Ascension Wisconsin Spirit Medical Transport, was destroyed when it crashed near Hazelhurst, Wisconsin towards the end of a flight from Madison to Woodruff, Wisconsin. All three persons on board died in the crash.[26]

• ARCH Air Medical Service

• Air Methods official site