WVU Health System Approves $10.7 Million Airbus H135 Medical Helicopter for Westmoreland County, Pa.
Why It MattersHealth systems are pairing hospital acquisitions with dedicated aeromedical bases, a pattern that pulls more light twin helicopters into regional EMS fleets and strengthens operator-owned models.
The WVU Health System (WVUHS) Board of Directors has approved the expansion of WVU Medicine-affiliated aeromedical services into Westmoreland County, Pa., and surrounding communities with a new $10.7 million Airbus H135 helicopter. The aircraft is expected to enter service in the spring of 2027. HealthNet Aeromedical Services, a separate company owned in part by WVU Hospitals, will own the helicopter and conduct clinical operations aboard it.
Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the WVU Health System, said a WVU Medicine-affiliated aircraft based in Westmoreland County is critical as the system plans to expand programs at Westmoreland Hospital, positioning it as a regional tertiary referral center offering more advanced specialty and subspecialty care to county residents and nearby communities. The announcement came nearly two weeks after Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland hospitals and their affiliated outpatient facilities officially joined WVUHS, which has committed to $800 million in investments to expand programs in areas such as cancer, critical care and trauma, heart care, neurosurgery and pediatrics.
The Airbus H135 is a light twin-engine helicopter that Airbus says has more than 700 dedicated emergency medical services helicopters in service worldwide. It is offered with a range of dedicated EMS interiors, and its cabin volume allows direct access to the patient for emergency measures such as CPR. Clinton Burley, president and CEO of HealthNet Aeromedical Services, said the company, with a 40-year history, is committed to providing exceptional service in the new communities it will serve.
