AS350 'AStar' is a life-saving helicopter

An article in the Aug. 3, 2013, edition of the Bonner County Daily Bee about the use of a new helicopter by the Life Flight Network contained erroneous and misleading information about the capabilities of the Eurocopter AS350 “AStar.” We would respectfully like to set the record straight.

The article, based on statements of Life Flight employees, implies that the AgustaWestland AW119 is a superior helicopter than the AS350 for life saving air medical transport missions. Without disparaging the capabilities of any competitor’s helicopter, or criticizing Life Flight Network’s choice of aircraft, we believe there are facts that contradict those statements and strongly support the suitability of the Eurocopter AS350 for airborne medical service missions and contra.

Over the last 10 years American Eurocopter has delivered more than 100 new AS350s to air medical service operators in the U.S. That compares to perhaps 10 new AW119s. There are now 165 AS350s flying air medical service missions in the U.S., compared to fewer than 20 AW119s. Simple math says the AS350 is chosen by air medical service providers by nearly a 10:1 ratio compared to the AW119.

Overall, the AS350 outsells all other new single-engine helicopters used for air medical transport by at least a 2:1 margin.

Much is made in the article of the AW119s alleged speed advantage. The AW119Kx has a published top cruise speed of 138 kts. The AS350B3e, the latest version of the AStar, has a published top cruise speed of 137 kts. If aircraft speed was the only factor in determining the time it takes to reach a patient — and it’s not — the AW119’s speed advantage would amount to no more than a minute or two on a typical medical flight. Maybe four minutes on the 125-mile, Sandpoint-to-Orofino flight cited in the article.

The alleged superiority of the AW119 cabin size and layout is also misleading. We do not know of any circumstances in which a patient being airlifted from the scene of an accident or between two medical facilities in an AS350 could not receive the same level of care and attention as in an AW119.

The fact that over the last 10 years air medical service providers in the U.S. have overwhelmingly chosen the Eurocopter AS350 AStar to perform their missions says that the AStar has been and remains the preferred aircraft, the right aircraft for the mission and the job.

ANTHONY DiNOTA

American Eurocopter

Vice president

Sales, marketing and

customer support

Grand Prairie, Texas