Atlantic Ambulance Corporation, a subsidiary of Atlantic Health System, the parent company of Morristown, Overlook and Newton Medical Centers and Goryeb Children’s Hospital, this week launched its third medevac helicopter into the skies above northern New Jersey.

The new chopper, Atlantic Air Three, will provide service primarily to the residents of Sussex and Passaic Counties. The addition of the helicopter to serve this area follows Atlantic Health System’s merger with Newton Medical Center last year, and reflects the organization’s commitment to providing high-quality services to residents in these communities.

“With the growth of our parent organization, Atlantic Health System, Atlantic Air Three will ensure that people in the communities we serve will have transportation to the services they need as quickly as possible,” said Richard Donovan, director of Atlantic Ambulance.

The addition of Atlantic Air Three also enhances Atlantic Ambulance’s already widespread services throughout New Jersey, which includes Atlantic Air One, based in Netcong, and Atlantic Air Two, based in Millville.

All three helicopters are EC-135 Eurocopters, a model of helicopter which is quieter than most others, thanks to a fan enclosed in the tail fin, and 10 blades, arranged asymmetrically in the rotor hub of the tail fin, which spread sound out over several frequencies. The trio of choppers also boasts all of the same features, including the Atlantic Ambulance/PHI crew. The helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment such as GPS, radar, an aircraft collision avoidance system and four different communications radios, including satellite.

AirEvac Lifeteam has opened a new base in St. Louisville at the Newton Township Fire Department. This is the 107th base in AirEvac Lifeteams's network. It is the sixth base in Ohio, the others are located in East Liverpool, Brown County, Lancaster, Chillicothe, and Portsmouth.

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The Daily Jeffersonian

Air Methods will open two new bases this summer in New York. The bases will be located in Watertown and Potsdam and will be staffed 24/7.

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SkyLife is planning on relocating one of their two helicopters from Kings County to Visalia Municipal Airport.

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TBJ

Friday night the Danville Ironmen captured the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association District 4 Class AAA basketball championship. The final score was Danville 62, Shikellamy (Sunbury) 36. The championship was the 5th District Title claimed by the Ironmen. Danville, now riding a 22 game winning streak, will now move onto the PA state playoffs with the first round opponent being District 2 runner-up Scranton Prep.

For some photos from the game, please visit the photo gallery.

Poudre Valley Health System welcomed its new air ambulance today. The B3 helicopter arrived at Medical Center of the Rockies' lower helipad at 12:30 p.m.

Today also marks Medical Center of the Rockies' fifth anniversary.

"We are excited about the arrival of the new helicopter and even more excited about the level of air transport service we are now able to offer the region," said Dr. Timothy Hutchison, the program's medical director.

Shreveport, LA — January 11, 2012— Metro Aviation, Inc. delivered the first of three EC145’s to Sanford Health at the end of last week. On hand for delivery was Kerry Berg, Director of Operations, Thomas Kitterman, Director of Maintenance and Orlen Tschetter, Vice President of Facilities & Planning from the Sanford Health-Sioux Falls Region.

The aircraft is complete with a full EMS configuration, operational options, single pilot IFR and air conditioning. In addition, this aircraft is equipped with the internal 10 Liter LOX system. Metro Aviation, Inc. currently offers single and dual external gas as well as single external LOX systems.

Milton Geltz, Managing Director for Metro Aviation, Inc. stated, “Due to the concerns of the customer about the harsh winter environment, the request was made to place the LOX in the aft cabin cabinet.”

The NTSB final report has not yet been issued, but documents indicate the accident inquiry has been centered on a fractured drive pin. The June 2010 crash of the Bell 222 killed CareFlite's chief pilot, Guy del Giudice, and mechanic Stephen Durler. The updated full narrative is below:

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 2, 2010, at 1400 central daylight time, a Bell 222U, N515MK, registered to and operated by CareFlite, Grand Prairie, Texas, collided with the ground following an in-flight break-up near Midlothian, Texas. The post maintenance flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed and a company flight plan was filed. The airline transport pilot and mechanic were killed. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The flight departed from Grand Prairie Municipal Airport (GPM) Grand Prairie, Texas, at 1352, about 8 minutes before the accident.

During interviews with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), several witnesses consistently reported seeing the tail boom, main rotor hub, main rotor blades, and other debris separate from the helicopter. Another witness heard a "loud crack" sound. The helicopter subsequently collided with the ground and exploded into flames.

Review of radar data confirmed N515MK departed GPM at 1352:03. The helicopter proceeded southbound until the last radar target was recorded at 1359:49. The last six radar hits recorded from 1359:26 to 1359:49 indicated an average altitude of 1,300 feet mean sea level (msl), at an average ground speed of 115 knots, and an average ground track of 178 degrees.