Metro Aviation has first EMS-configured EC155 B1 in the United States

Metro Aviation is in the
process of completing the first of three EC155 B1 aircraft for the University of Michigan Survival Flight. The aircraft
will be the first EC155 B1 equipped and operated with an EMS package in the United States. (photograph of helicopter in the hangar by Kelly Cathey)

The first aircraft is
currently in the painting phase of completion and is scheduled for review by Survival Flight critical care manager, Denise Landis, at the end of the week. The EC155
B1 will be painted University of Michigan maize and blue, similar to the Bell 430 currently in
service for Survival Flight.

Since the University is the
first customer for the EC155 B1 and there were few resources available for the
preliminary design phase of the program, Metro Aviation built a scale model of
the EC155 B1 cabin for Survival Flight to review before completion of the
aircraft began. The model provided survival flight the capability to experience
the large cabin space that the EC155 B1 has to offer.

(photograph of the cabin replica by Jennifer Robison)