STARS unveils new helicopter for Grand Prairie base
Canadian non-profit air ambulance provider STARS unveiled a new Airbus H145 helicopter on Wednesday 25 May, which will operate from its base in Grand Prairie, Alberta
The unveiling was celebrated with a ceremony at the Grand Prairie base attended by federal, provincial and municipal government officials, as well as community partners and allies, STARS crew and former patients.
The new helicopter, designated C-FNPT, entered service the previous week. It is equipped with two Safran Helicopter Engines Arriel 2E engines and has a cruise speed of 241km/h with a range of 650km, a maximum take-off weight of 3,800kg and a useful load of 1,905kg.
In addition, the aircraft offers improved safety features compared with STARS’ older aircraft, as well as an updated medical interior.
The new helicopter is part of STARS’ Keep the Fight in Flight initiative, announced in 2018, which aims to replace its fleets of BK-117 and AW139 helicopters with new Airbus H145 aircraft at a cost of C$13 million per unit.
“The bulk of our aging fleet are no longer being built and are becoming costlier to maintain,” said STARS President and CEO Andrea Robertson. “Additionally, independent assessments of the sustainability of our fleet told us we needed to move from two aircraft types to one.”
STARS confirmed that all six STARS bases – Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Regina, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg – will be operating the new helicopter model from later this year.
Robertson spoke to Clara Bullock about her organization’s work providing emergency healthcare access to rural Canada in AirMed&Rescue in a Provider Profile in Issue 123 earlier this year.
The new aircraft coincides with an increase in provincial government funding
The aircraft’s unveiling coincided with the announcement that the government of Alberta would commit to providing 50 per cent of STARS’ yearly funding for operations in the province – a significant increase from the 25 per cent share previously given by the government.
In a statement, STARS said: “This increased funding ensures STARS will continue to be available into the future and that we can focus on further strengthening the critical care services we provide across Alberta.”
However, it reiterated that the additional funding did not diminish the importance of support it received from other channels, such as through fundraising events, the STARS lottery, and monthly giving or community investment contributions.