New helicopter for Cincinnati Children's

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has announced that a new partnership with air ambulance provider Air Methods to provide a dedicated helicopter transport service.

The service, which will launch in February 2026, will be used to transfer neonatal and pediatric patients from outlying areas, offering faster access to critical care.

It will utilize an Airbus EC145 compatible with night vision goggles, capable of round trips within a range of approximately 300 miles (483km).

The aircraft will be based at Cincinnati Children’s Burnet Campus. Flights will be coordinated by the Transport Team at the Cincinnati Children’s Access Hub, which recently opened at Burnet Campus.

“The time it takes to transport kids from distant parts of Ohio or nearby states will be cut in half or more with this new service, and specialized care will begin as soon as our team arrives,” said Rich Falcone, a pediatric surgeon who serves as the health system’s Chief of Staff.

Kelly Besl, Clinical Director of Cincinnati Children’s Critical Care Transport Team added: “Over the past few years, we’ve seen a steadily increasing volume of requests for air medical transport to Cincinnati Children’s for critically ill patients from hospitals across the region. A dedicated helicopter means we can bring Cincinnati Children’s expertise directly to the bedside and ensure safe, efficient transport to a higher level of care.”

Air Methods also recently placed an order for three more Bell 407GXis.