“These aircraft are much more powerful, they have much more life, they have much more cabin space in the back to we can truly take two patients,” Grady says.

“We can take the team flights, put a bunch of neo-natal nurses on there with a very sick child, so we can put extra members on there we can out different equipment on there ventricular-assist device, balloon pumps.”

 

Grady says the helicopters also have improved GPS navigation systems and can detect lightning strikes in the area.  He says the new fleet will completely replace the older aircraft in the coming months.  Two helicopters will be stationed in Peoria, with one in Rockford and one in Peru.  OSF is leasing the fleet for ten years.  Buying the helicopters outright would cost more than $7 million.