Air Methods has handed an Airbus H130 helicopter over to SkyRyse to be fitted with its integrated flight operating system, formerly referred to as FlightOS.

"SkyRyse represents the future for Air Methods," says EVP of operations Leo Morrissette. "This transformational technology will allow us to decrease pilot workload in the cockpit and allow our pilots to fly multiple types of aircraft so we can focus on quality care for those we're transporting. Together, we see the SkyRyse-powered technology as the path to making a lasting and positive difference in emergency medical services and the world of aviation at large."

In April 2022, the two companies agreed to retrofit more than 400 single engine helicopters and fixed wing aircraft in the Air Methods fleet with FlightOS, a hardware and software stack that replaces overly complex and manual flight control systems, allowing pilots to control helicopters and fixed wing aircraft with a far simpler and safer control interface. SkyRyse's technology provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness, streamlined flight control and automated features to reduce overall workload.

Air Methods operates the largest civilian helicopter fleet in the world and completes more than 100,000 patient transports every year. The Airbus helicopter will serve as an operational aircraft for the implementation and advancement of SkyRyse's technology to reduce pilot workload and enhance flight safety.

The certification programme for both the SkyRyse-powered H130 and H125 aircraft is already in motion with the FAA and this delivery solidifies advancement of the programme, which is set to bolster Air Methods' capacity to provide critical care and swift transport during life-saving emergency missions.

"Safety is at the heart of aviation, and the partnership between Air Methods and SkyRyse represents a leap forward for the entire industry," says SkyRyse founder and CEO Mark Groden. "By combining Air Methods' expertise in flight operations with SkyRyse's technology, we aim to set new standards in aviation safety and transform the way flights are conducted."

In 2021, Air Methods invested in SkyRyse and its technology development, and over the last decade it has invested over $100 million in safety programmes and technologies. Through this ongoing partnership, Air Methods is poised to harness the full potential of fly-by-wire technology and smart automation to reduce pilot workload across its extensive fleet.

"The Airbus H125 and H130 do a tremendous job for us today, but in a very short amount of time we're going to see it evolve into a completely different type of aircraft. With the integration of SkyRyse's technology, we will be able to fly in a way that was not possible until now," says Air Methods SVP of flight operations Jason Quisling.