The University of Michigan’s Survival Flight program has ordered three EC155s to upgrade its helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and replace its current fleet.
The selection process was a very demanding, two-year process that examined aircraft from all of the major manufacturers. The combination of cabin space and performance favored the EC155. Hank Miller, site manager for Pentastar Aviation, the company that provides management and support the Survival Flight program, said, “We were running into range versus payload issues with our current aircraft and we needed a helicopter that could support our capacity needs and still provide us with the range to reach our service area. We were very impressed with the EC155.” Survival Flight will be the first HEMS operator in the United States to fly the EC155. The EC155 is powered by two Arriel 2C2 engines with dual-channel FADEC, Vehicle & Engine Management Display (VEMD) with First Limit Indicator (FLI) and the Integrated Flight and Display System that help to decrease pilot workload and increase safety.