posted November 14, 2023

Based in New Braunfels, the fixed wing aircraft will provide added support to Rio Grande Valley

WESLACO, TX, Nov. 14, 2023 – With a growing need to transport patients over longer distances and in a wider variety of weather conditions, Air Methods, the leading air medical provider in the United States, is opening a fixed wing base—AirLift 10 Texas—this week in New Braunfels that will support the entire state and communities already served by AirLift Texas bases.

“This is very exciting for the Rio Grande Valley as we’re seeing more and more patients needing to be transported to hospitals as far as Houston, Dallas or San Antonio to receive specialized care,” said AirLift 5 Area Manager/Account Executive David Lopez. “While we do our best to transport them with our helicopter, having this asset will allow us to transport them in half the time while keeping the helicopter here to continue responding local emergent calls.”

Last week, Lopez and the AirLift 5 team were joined by dozens of local first responders and hospital partners as they got a firsthand look at the Beechcraft King Air B200 airplane and had a chance to meet the crew members of the new AirLift 10 base before it goes into service on Nov. 15.

“We’re really excited to be able to have this in the Valley, and to be able to work with this team to provide better care for our patients,” said Director of Emergency Medical Services at DHR Health Daniel Tuttle. “This will provide even better coverage to the Valley, not just Hidalgo County but Cameron and Starr Counties too.”

Centrally located in New Braunfels, the Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft will be available across the state but will primarily serve the communities already supported by AirLift Texas, including Waco and Weslaco. It will also serve their sister base, AirLIFE in Uvalde.

Much like the current bases in Texas, AirLift 10 will be able to respond to emergency medical calls for heart attacks, strokes, pediatric emergencies, and other traumatic incidents, as well as critical interfacility transports. The industry-leading clinicians will also carry blood on board the aircraft that they can administer in flight to patients suffering from significant blood loss and at risk for life-threatening hemorrhagic shock.

“It’s been a little over a year since AirLift 5 Texas took flight in June of 2022, bringing emergency air medical service to the Rio Grande Valley,” said Lopez. “The need for dependable emergency air medical services in this area is only becoming more dire as the area keeps growing and the livelihood of many will depend on it.”   

Valley residents can rest easy knowing that AirLift 5 Texas provides exceptional critical care while Air Methods makes sure it is affordable. They are in-network with most major health insurance providers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, and more. In addition, their patient advocacy program works with all patients, regardless of insurance, to ensure affordability.