HealthNet Aeromedical Services Unveils New H135 Helicopter to Enhance Critical Care Transport in Northern West Virginia

Wheeling, W.Va. - HealthNet Aeromedical Services, in partnership with WVU Medicine and Air Methods Corporation, celebrated the addition of a state-of-the-art medical helicopter to its fleet at a special ceremony at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. This new Airbus H135 helicopter will serve the region from HealthNet Aeromedical Services Base 10, significantly upgrading the area’s air medical transport capabilities. The new aircraft replaces the current Moundsville-based helicopter, which will be leaving the HealthNet Aeromedical Services’ fleet.

Known for its speed, safety, and versatility, the Airbus H135 is a modern workhorse of the air medical industry. The H135's advanced features include:

• Helionix® Avionics Suite: This advanced system reduces pilot workload, enhances situational awareness, and improves flight safety with a user-friendly interface.
• Single-Pilot Instrument Flight Rules (IFR): This capability allows the aircraft to operate in a wider range of weather conditions, increasing HealthNet Aeromedical Services’ reliability and mission flexibility.
• Enhanced Safety Features: The H135's design and technology are engineered to further protect both the flight crew and patients.

A key benefit of the Helionix® management technology system is the ability to hover the aircraft at a specific point with zero control input from the pilot, which is especially critical across the mountainous terrain found in the Central Appalachian region.

"This upgraded aircraft is a prime example of our commitment to providing the highest quality critical care transport to the citizens and visitors of this region," said HealthNet Aeromedical Services President and CEO Clinton Burley. "We’re thrilled to continue rolling out our new aircraft with this addition, which underscores our joint commitment with WVU Medicine to continue providing an unmatched standard of care and safety for our patients and the team members who serve them."

The aircraft’s medical interior is custom designed for the unique demands of the organization’s service area. The layout ensures medical crews have the necessary tools and workspace to provide exceptional critical care in the air.

"For us here at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital, and for all the communities we serve across the Northern Panhandle and Ohio Valley, the new HealthNet aircraft is a true game-changer,” said Douglass E. Harrison, president and CEO of WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital. “When a neighbor, friend, or family member is in a critical situation, time and safe transport are the difference between a good outcome and a tragedy. This new aircraft ensures that the high-quality, advanced care you expect from the WVU Medicine system begins the very moment they lift off.”

Air Methods Corporation, which oversees aircraft operation, has provided extensive education and hands-on training to the organization's pilots in preparation for the new helicopter's arrival and subsequent in-service status.

“At Air Methods, safety and reliability are at the core of everything we do, and this aircraft represents the very best in aviation technology to support those priorities,” said Air Methods CEO Rob Hamilton. “By equipping our pilots with advanced training and our crews with the tools they need, we’re ensuring patients in this region have access to the highest level of critical care when it matters most.”

This is the fourth of five new aircraft the organization will add to its fleet by the end of 2025.

About HealthNet Aeromedical Services

Headquartered in Charleston, West Virginia, HealthNet Aeromedical Services is a not-for-profit critical care transport system cooperatively owned and operated by Marshall Health Network, Vandalia Health, and WVU Medicine. The organization serves Central Appalachia from eight helicopter bases across West Virginia. Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, the program has safely transported more than 120,000 patients since beginning operations in 1986. To learn more about HealthNet Aeromedical Services, visit www.hnmed.org.

AIRBUS H-135 FACT SHEET

Overview

Airbus’ light, twin-engine H135 is equipped with the most advanced technologies available, including Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix® avionics suite. Operated around the world, the H135 has a well-earned reputation for excellent performance, endurance, reliability, and versatility.

Performance

• Maximum speed: 156 MPH
• Maximum flight range: 342 miles
• Maximum flight endurance: 3 hours 36 minutes

Dimensions

• Length: 40.22 feet
• Height:  12.8 feet
• Main rotor diameter:  34.10 ft

Characteristics

• Engine type:  Pratt & Whitney PW206B3
• Maximum takeoff weight:  6,750 lb
• Useful load:  3,124 lb
• Passenger capacity*:  1 or 2 pilots + up to 6 passengers