Story ID: 
Reach Taking Five New Airbus Helicopters
By: Mark Huber
Caption: The helicopters are part of HEMS operator's fleet-replacement plan. 
Word Count: 195
Reach Air Medical Services is taking delivery of five new single-engine helicopters later this year—three H125s and two H130s—Airbus Helicopters announced this afternoon at the Air Medical Transport Conference. The new aircraft are part of Reach’s fleet-replacement initiative and will be placed into service in the spring of 2019.

Headquartered in Sacramento, California, Reach provides air ambulance services to communities throughout California, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Texas, and Colorado. The company is a subsidiary of Global Medical Response (GMR), an entity formed when Air Medical Group Holdings (AMGH) and American Medical Response (AMR) joined in 2018.

“Global Medical Response is a true industry leader, and we are proud to help Reach improve patient care and save lives,” said Chris Emerson, president of Airbus Helicopters Inc. and head of the North America region. “The selection of these new aircraft demonstrates the trust the air medical industry has in our aircraft and our ability to support their critical missions.”

The H125 is built by Airbus Helicopters in Columbus, Mississippi. The new helicopters will be equipped with advanced avionics packages, autopilot, GPS, terrain avoidance and crash-resistant fuel systems.