Aero Med at Corewell Health Adds New Helicopter to Its Fleet

Sikorsky S-76 C++ will become the new primary air ambulance helicopter

May 31, 2023

Grand Rapids, Mich., May 31, 2023 – Aero Med at Corewell Health™, the new name for  Spectrum Health, announced today it has added a Sikorsky S-76 C++ helicopter to its fleet.  This aircraft will become the new primary helicopter for the air ambulance operator in West Michigan while its current C++ is moved to a support position.

A Sikorsky S-76 B model, which served the program for nearly 29 years and flew 10,500 patient flights, was sold in December 2022 to make room for the new aircraft.

“This new helicopter will standardize our aircraft fleet to Sikorsky S-76 C++ and enable us to serve the West Michigan community for many years to come,” said Tiffany Obetts, director, Aero Med & North Flight Aero Med. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have the support of our organization to ensure we can achieve our critical mission of being a leader of critical care air transport in Michigan.”

Obetts said that Aero Med has continued to see value and performance with the Sikorsky S-76 airframe since adding it to their operation in 1994.  This purchase marks the fifth Sikorsky helicopter purchased in the history of the program.

“With speeds up to 180 mph and a range of 300 miles, the S-76 remains a safe and reliable helicopter for the hundreds of patient missions flown all over Michigan each year,” Obetts said.

The new helicopter will have improved fuel efficiency, state of the art avionics and certified IFR (instrument flight rules) capability.

Aero Med at Corewell Health has been providing ICU level care in the sky for 36 years.  Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Aero Med cares for patients needing transport from scenes of car crashes and hospitals within and outside the Corewell Health system.  Aero Med’s clinical capabilities include blood products, specialty medications, high flow nasal cannula, cardiac device transport and neonatal transports.

Contact:
Tim Hawkins
Media Relations
Office: 616.486.6091
Mobile: 616.443.0361
Email: timothy.hawkins@corewellhealth.org