This week I wanted to give you an exciting sneak preview of the new and improved Pegasus Air helicopter!
Pegasus, our renowned hospital-based air and ground transport service, provides care to critically ill and injured patients through fast, safe, medical transport. Historically, Pegasus Air has served patients primarily within a 120-nautical-mile radius of Charlottesville. Founded in 1984, the name “Pegasus” was chosen in a contest at our medical center, inspired by the mythical stories of the courageous flying horse swooping in to aid heroes in their quests.
Last week, I had the extraordinary privilege of witnessing the newest Pegasus Air helicopter — an Airbus EC-145C2e — on its training flight to the medical center. I also had the opportunity to speak with the pilots after they touched down on the UVA Health University Medical Center helipad, and their enthusiasm was contagious. They were eager to show how the new Pegasus helicopter would transform our ability to provide emergency care to our patients.
The most obvious change is the sheer size of the new Pegasus helicopter. The helicopter boasts a more spacious interior, complete with state-of-the-art additions like secure storage for pumps and extra vent circuits. We are now able to limit out-of-hospital time for patients in need of a counter pulsation heart pump and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in the air rather than relying solely on our ground critical care ambulances. Can you imagine the tremendous impact this will have on saving lives and extending the reach of our exceptional care?
While viewing the Pegasus helicopter up close was truly incredible, the real highlight of the tour was seeing how enthusiastic our crew is about this huge development. If you hear the familiar sounds of helicopter blades whirling through the air, look up to see if you can catch a birds-eye view of UVA Health’s magnificent new helicopter in action. And while you’re at it, give a wave to our terrific crew on the Pegasus Air team!
There will be plenty of news coverage on the new Pegasus helicopter in the coming weeks, but I wanted our team members to have a first glance at this awesome addition to UVA Health. The new helicopter is a literal reminder that the sky’s the limit when it comes to improving patient outcomes at UVA Health!
Take care and be well,
Wendy
PS — I also wanted to give a special shoutout to the team behind the fresh look of the new Pegasus helicopter, our UVA Health design team, led by the Manager of Multimedia Design and Creative, Jake Headley!
