Intermountain Life Flight Adds Three New Helicopters To It’s Fleet

 

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Intermountain Life Flight Adds Three New Helicopters To It’s Fleet 

By Jim Douglas
 

October 12, 2010 - Intermountain Healthcare has signed for three GrandNew helicopters with options for two additional aircraft. These aircraft will be equipped to provide industry leading in-flight patient care and will also benefit from the world’s most technologically advanced avionics system ever to fly in a helicopter of this class.  

Operated by Intermountain Life Flight, Intermountain Healthcare’s aviation division, these aircraft will join two A109K2’s already in service performing critical medevac missions in Utah and Northern Nevada.

The GrandNew is AgustaWestland next generation of helicopters, with a new digital glass-cockpit and a composite material fuselage.

 

The Chelton FlightLogicTM Synthetic Vision EFIS and a new 4-axis digital duplex autopilot provide the pilots with situational awareness and flight management capabilities never achieved before on the light twin class. Designed using the latest technology, the GrandNew offers high performance capabilities, a large cabin and low environmental footprint for a wide range of roles while retaining the attractive economics typical of the light twin category.

Intermountain Health Care, Inc., DBA as Intermountain Healthcare, and formerly known as Intermountain Health Care (IHC), is a non-profit healthcare system and is the largest healthcare provider in the Intermountain West. Intermountain Healthcare provides hospital and other medical services in Utah and Idaho. Intermountain Healthcare is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and currently employs over 32,000 people. 

"This is a wonderful opportunity for Intermountain Life Flight to reach its goal of fleet standardization while benefiting from AgustaWestland's technological advances and enhanced operations with the GrandNew," said Jerry Morrison, Executive Director, Intermountain Life Flight. Each GrandNew will be equipped with modern, comprehensive EMS interior featuring single or dual stretchers in addition to a rescue hoist, wire strike protection, snow skis and NVG compatibility. These aircraft will be completed and delivered at AgustaWestland’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania production facility.

 

The AgustaWestland GrandNew marks a world first and the start of a new technological era for commercial helicopters with the integration of advanced vision systems to deliver a new level of situation and terrain awareness to pilots, greatly enhancing safety.  The GrandNew is the first helicopter in its class to incorporate a Synthetic Vision System (SVS), Highway in The Sky (HITS) and Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (HTAWS) to provide full terrain and obstacle awareness in low visibility flying conditions.  

The system provides the pilot with three dimensional guidance and detailed terrain maps, resulting in an advanced operating capability which sets a new benchmark in safety. The GrandNew also already meets the latest NTSB/FAA recommendations for EMS operations to consider the use of an FAA-approved night vision goggle or enhanced vision system into flight programs, when conditions and missions dictate.  

AgustaWestland has received over 50 orders for the GrandNew helicopters have been made so far by customers worldwide. Intermountain Healthcare has received extensive praise from many in the healthcare community, including the President of the United States, as an example of an innovative and successful healthcare organization. Intermountain Healthcare’s Life Flight division has adopted the highest safety standards and is a leader in providing safety training to their community partners.

 

 
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