To be clear, while LifeFlight Eagle nurses and paramedics are actually employees of our nonprofit company, the pilots and mechanics that serve the program are employees of the air operator.  Our previous air operator recently went through a corporate merger, right at the time our contract came to its natural end.  This caused us to take a step back and research our options.

As LifeFlight Eagle and PHI engaged in several meetings to discuss a potential agreement, we discovered that PHI’s corporate philosophy, safety program and day-to-day transport and maintenance services are a great fit for LifeFlight Eagle’s expanding operation and the community we serve.

While providing air transport service to major oil and gas companies continues to be the largest segment of PHI’s operation, it also provides service to the Healthcare industry through its Air Medical Group.  In 1981, when the oil and gas industry was dwindling, PHI put idle aircraft to work under PHI Air Medical Group, serving hospitals in Ohio and Louisiana.  The company has grown from one medically equipped helicopter to over 60 helicopters with state of the art medical interiors. The current customer list spans the United States and includes many premier health care organizations.

To date, PHI has flown more types of helicopters, under a greater variety of conditions, over a longer period of time, than any other civilian helicopter operator. In achieving more than ten million flight hours, they have maintained a safety record that is preeminent in the commercial helicopter industry and are known industry wide for the relentless pursuit of safe, reliable helicopter transportation, also extending services to the onshore mining and technical industries nationally and internationally.

Specifically, PHI leads the industry in transport experience using the Bell 407, the model used by LifeFlight Eagle.  PHI actually owns and operates more than 400 Bell 407’s worldwide.  At one time in the 1990’s, PHI’s total fleet exceeded the total number of helicopters owned by the Army, Navy and Marines combined.

LifeFlight Eagle Director of Program Operations , Chuck Walker, says he couldn’t be happier about the new relationship which promises to take an already very solid safety program to a new level with PHI’s comprehensive Enhanced Operational Control (EOC) system, built in 2005 for their entire air medical operation.  The control system places experienced air medical pilots in PHI’s operational center to act as virtual co-pilots for those in the air.  For example, when a pilot encounters unexpected changes in his flight plan, he can immediately access the experience of a second pilot in the control center.   

In fact, PHI Air Medical was recently recognized with American Eurocopter’s prestigious Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award which recognizes one company in the air medical industry embodying the goal of flight safety and zero accidents of consequence. President and CEO of American Eurocopter, Marc Paganini, said of PHI’s EOC System, “This is a significant step forward in safety for the air medical community.”

“PHI comes to LifeFlight Eagle with a deep understanding and appreciation for our need to stay in service,” says Chuck Walker.  “When an aircraft is taken out of service for maintenance, it is considered an emergency by PHI and is given full attention until that aircraft is able to return to its purpose.

“PHI’s training and maintenance are top shelf, and their extensive experience in supporting aircraft at great distances from remote locations like off-shore oil platforms is exactly what LifeFlight Eagle needs,” says Walker.  “We consider it a real mark of distinguished service on our part to be a natural fit for PHI’s program.”

As a true mark of dedication to the LifeFlight Eagle program, all but one of our pilots transferred from our previous vendor to PHI and all of the mechanics have also elected to work for PHI when the contract changes over– they are currently training with PHI. 

 

As of January 1, 2008 PHI will provide 3 aircraft to LifeFlight Eagle, a BK-117 for the Children’s Mercy Hospital program and two Bell 407’s. PHI will also provide air operator services for the 2 Bell 407’s that LifeFlight Eagle owns, bringing our total fleet to 5 aircraft.  One of the PHI provided 407’s will be here temporarily as LifeFlight Eagle awaits delivery of our third program owned Bell 407 in the first quarter of 2008.  Three of the Bell 407’s will be painted in the familiar green and purple LifeFlight Eagle color scheme and the Children’s Mercy Hospital BK-117 will have their familiar, child friendly paint scheme with a few new twists. The temporary aircraft will bear PHI’s colors of black and yellow. Be on the lookout!