Mercy Flight based in Buffalo, New York, has taken delivery of three Bell 429 helicopters for rapid response medical services. The acquisitions enable the company to retire four 1980s model BK-117s, and the move was was made possible by a combined $23 million lending effort from the USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities programme and M&T Bank. The dual $11.5m loans will be repaid over a 20-year term.

Since its inception in 1981, Mercy Flight has completed more than 27,000 patient missions throughout western New York and beyond. It has four bases – Buffalo, Olean, Batavia, and Springville – that are strategically staffed with a pilot, flight paramedic and flight nurse. Additional assets, aside from its HEMS operations with the Bell 429s, include 20 ground ambulances and five paramedic 'fly cars' operating in multiple counties throughout the region, and charter access to a Learjet 31 for long-distance fixed wing medical transports.

“The Bell 429s, with lightweight Aerolite medical interiors and outfitted by Uniflight, offer better patient access for our medical crews, increased flight smoothness, faster flight time for patients, and increased technology of terrain awareness," says executive VP Margie Ferrentino. "The aircraft are equipped with the latest in avionics and communications technology, and also provide single pilot IFR capabilities, a crucial safety benefit in the varying weather conditions we encounter. One of our main focuses at this time is to establish an adequate IFR infrastructure throughout our service area and use these new Bell 429s to their fullest capacity."

The unpredictable and quick-changing weather provides the greatest challenge to the Mercy Flight team. "Positioned adjacent to two of the Great Lakes, weather is both irregular and comparatively more inclement than many regions in the US," explains Ferrentino. "The FAA’s Part 135 VFR weather minimums often preclude us from being able to respond to calls for air ambulance service. That said, we work hard to find creative ways to answer the call for our critical care services, whether by intercepting to avoid poor weather, or by staffing an ambulance to respond with our flight paramedic and flight nurse by ground.

“Certainly, the snowy winter months can pose a challenge here, but we owe our deepest and sincerest gratitude to our generous donors and supporters, whose charitable contributions and grants help us bridge the gap between an often challenging reimbursement environment and the high costs associated with providing 24/7 flying critical care readiness."