Mercy Flight adds three Bell 429s

Bell 429 Mercy Flight. 2013

Non-profit medical transport operator Mercy Flight has signed a purchase agreement with Bell Helicopter for three Bell 429s.

The three aircraft were purchased with a $23 million loan from M&T Bank and the USDA.

“Mercy Flight and Bell Helicopter have shared a rich history since they started their business more than 35 years ago using a Bell 206 Jet Ranger,” said Anthony Moreland, vice president, North America at Bell Helicopters. “Today, Mercy Flight remains one of the few non-profit providers of air and ground medical transport services and we are proud to continue to support their mission.”

Mercy Flight has completed more than 27,000 patient missions since it was established in 1981. The company operates in the Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

The order brings the total number of 429s operating in the Northeast US region to 21.