Children’s of Alabama, the Birmingham-based paediatric hospital, has recently begun operating an Airbus H145 helicopter. The aircraft has replaced a Bell 407 that the hospital’s Critical Care Transport team had been using since 2012.

The H145 has been named QB1 in recognition of the fundraising efforts of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club of Birmingham, which made the introduction of the new helicopter possible.

Children’s Critical Care Transport team, which has been operating since 1983, transfers critically ill and injured children between medical facilities across Alabama and beyond so that they can receive the appropriate level of care for their condition. In addition to its helicopter, it utilises jets and ground ambulances for this role.

Jason Peterson, director of the Critical Care Transport team, noted that the new aircraft will help the team serve patients more effectively. “It’s going to mean the most to our patients and our patients’ families. It’s really cool that we’re going to have a new piece of equipment with state-of-the-art technologies for our medical crews to operate in. But at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to the ability of our crews to provide excellent care for our patients and their families.”

The H145 has a number of features which improve upon the capabilities of the hospital’s previous helicopter, including the ability to undertake missions in instrument flight rules conditions. It also has twin engines, a rolling stretcher and rear-loading capacity. The aircraft can carry up to four crew members in the cabin with the patient, as well as another passenger up front with the pilot.

For its helicopter operations, Children’s has partnered with Med-Trans Corporation, part of the Global Medical Response group. Med-Trans looks after all of the operational logistics for Children’s, including the provision of pilots and mechanics.

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