Orlando Health Launches First-of-Its-Kind Medical Helicopter
New aircraft enhances emergency care for children and adults across Central Florida
Orlando Health Air Care has unveiled a new medical helicopter—the first of its kind in Florida—thanks to the support of generous donors. The aircraft represents a major advancement in life-saving medical transport for both adults and children, expanding Orlando Health’s capacity to urgently respond to emergencies.
Stationed in Apopka, the helicopter will transport both children and adult patients to Central Florida’s only Level One Trauma Center at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC), and Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. This addition brings Orlando Health’s air ambulance fleet to five aircraft. Each aircraft is staffed with a pilot, a certified flight nurse and a critical care paramedic.
The larger aircraft makes it easier for the Air Care Team to care for the most critically-ill patients during flight. Its advanced features include:
- Increased range to reach critically-ill and injured patients more quickly—especially those in rural or hard-to-reach areas.
- Expanded lift capacity and cabin space, enabling more flight nurses and paramedics to provide expert-level care midair, along with lifesaving equipment.
- A customized medical interior designed to transport delicate pediatric and neonatal patients using specialized devices like incubators and heart-lung support devices.
Philanthropy played a vital role in making this expansion possible. Gifts to support trauma and emergency care helped fund the new aircraft and advance Orlando Health’s mission to provide high-quality care—anytime, across nine counties in Central Florida.
The Air Care Team has served Central Florida for more than 40 years, completing over 40 million patient missions, and thanks to the support of our community, Orlando Health is taking emergency care further with the addition of this aircraft.
