Fixed-wing air ambulance base for central Texas

The base – called AirLift 10 Texas – is located east of San Antonio, and began operations on 15 November using a Beechcraft King Air B200.

It will primarily offer air ambulance support to communities already served by AirLift Texas in Waco and Weslaco, as well as by AirLIFE in Uvalde – but will also be available to provide support across the whole state.

As well as providing medical transfers, the King Air turboprop – which requires a comparatively short runway of 2,579ft (786m) – will also be able to respond to emergency call-outs alongside its rotorcraft partners.

“While we do our best to transport them with our helicopter, having this asset will allow us to transport them in half the time while keeping the helicopter here to continue responding local emergent calls,” said David Lopez, Area Manager and Account Executive at AirLift 5.

“We’re very grateful to have the support of our sister bases across the AirLift Texas program, and now a fixed-wing base as well,” added Joel Ramirez, Clinical Base Lead at AirLIFE Uvalde. “While we certainly do our best to meet that need here, there are times where weather conditions can limit our ability to fly and this is where having the support of a fixed-wing base will be lifesaving.”

Air Methods recently initiated Voluntary Prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings as part of plans to restructure its business operations.