BANGOR, Maine — LifeFlight of Maine will introduce next month its first fixed-wing aircraft as officials say statewide demand has reached the capacity of the group’s two helicopters that provide care and high-speed transportation for the critically ill and injured.
The twin-engine, fixed-wing aircraft, which will be based at Bangor International Airport, will offer certain advantages over current helicopters, said Executive Director Thomas Judge.
It can fly in more weather conditions and is about 115 mph faster than the helicopters. It can also fly more efficiently over long distance, freeing up helicopters for other missions.
“If we have a patient in Fort Kent who needs to go to Boston, then it would make more sense for us to send the fixed wing,” Judge said.
Last year, LifeFlight transported more than 1,600 patients from different parts of the state to hospitals in and out of state. It was unable to assist about 500 others because either its helicopters were already assisting others or were grounded because of weather.
Judge said LifeFlight has already taken possession of the plane, which is configured for corporate transportation.
They will soon start upgrading avionics on that aircraft, installing a medical interior and upgrading its performance capabilities, he said.
When LifeFlight begins fixed-wing operations May 18, it will use a leased aircraft that will be returned once its own aircraft is completed in 60 to 90 days, he said.
The total of cost of the fixed-wing project is $3.5 million. Judge said the Camden Board of Selectmen voted last week to let LifeFlight use its municipal interest rate to borrow $2.25 million to purchase the turboprop plane.
The rest of the money will be raised by the nonprofit’s foundation, Judge said, which is also working to raise $6.5 million to add a third helicopter.
“We’ve really taken the idea of a system that covers all of Maine,” he said.
Based at Bangor International Airport, the fixed-wing project will bring jobs to the area. Judge said they are hiring eight additional pilots and an additional aviation mechanics technician. Over time, he said, they will bring in additional clinical providers and communications specialists. LifeFlight currently has 75 to 80 employees statewide.
The fixed-wing aircraft will complement the two existing helicopters already in use as well as a fleet of ground ambulances. Judge said ground ambulances will be used to transport patients to and from the airfield when using the fixed-wing aircraft.
Each aircraft and ambulance features equipment typically found in a hospital intensive care unit, not an ambulance. That includes the ability to administer eight infusion medications at once, breathing ventilators, blood banks, portable laboratories and even an ultrasound machine.
“It’s really more of a hospital than an ambulance,” he said.
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