MedStar Health is rolling out a new medical helicopter built to carry sicker, heavier, and more fragile patients than its current fleet can handle. The hospital network showcased the aircraft, an Airbus H145 D3, on October 7 at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital and MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, saying it gives flight crews a larger cabin and new capabilities for specialized care.
The helicopter can run extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, during flight, along with neonatal intensive care equipment, according to WBAL News Radio. ECMO provides temporary artificial heart and lung support for patients in cardiac or respiratory failure, and having it available mid-transport is a significant jump in what a helicopter crew can manage before a patient ever reaches a hospital bed. The cabin also fits two stretchers at once, which the station reports allows more clinicians on board when larger teams are required for a case.
Why the Bigger Cabin Matters
Dr. J. Matthew Sasser, who serves as Medical Director for MedSTAR Transport's air and ground clinical teams across Maryland and Washington, D.C., told WBAL-TV 11 News that smaller helicopters have limitations on the equipment they can carry. The aircraft is one of only a few Airbus H145 D3 helicopters operating in the nationwide air medical industry. The upgrade also brings physical specs that go beyond what the previous fleet offered: the H145 D3 features a five-blade rotor system, engines upgraded for high-heat conditions, and 1,000 pounds of additional payload capacity, according to a PR Newswire release.
That added payload and cabin space is what makes procedures like bariatric transport, neonatal intensive care, and in-flight ECMO possible, Southern Maryland News Net reports. MedStar introduced the aircraft to clinical staff during open-house events in early October at regional facilities including MedStar St. Mary's Hospital and MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, per Prince George's Suite Magazine.
A 40-Year-Old Program Upgrading Its Fleet
MedSTAR Transport has history on its side. Founded in 1983 as the first hospital-based air medical service in the Washington, D.C. region, the program moves roughly 5,000 to 6,000 patients annually and completes about 2,000 medevac helicopter missions across the Mid-Atlantic, according to the Southern Maryland Chronicle's reporting. The program previously flew EC-135 helicopters and was the first medical air service in the country to fly single-pilot instrument flight rules EC-135s equipped with GPS technology for inclement weather, giving it a track record of adopting aviation tech for adverse conditions.
All FAA Part 135 flight operations, pilot staffing, and aircraft maintenance for the fleet are managed under contract by Metro Aviation, Inc. Pilots are required to hold FAA Class 2 medical certification, helicopter instrument ratings, and at least 2,000 total flight hours, including 1,000 as pilot in command, standards that reflect the strict federal guidelines governing hospital air ambulance operations.
How It Fits Into Maryland's Broader Air Response Network
MedSTAR Transport's role is distinct from the state's other aeromedical operation. The program specializes primarily in high-acuity inter-hospital transfers, while the Maryland State Police Aviation Command operates 10 AW139 helicopters focused heavily on 911 scene trauma responses and search-and-rescue missions, the Southern Maryland Chronicle notes — a split in mission; Hoodline previously covered a medevac response after a Green Holly Drive blast.
MedStar's move also mirrors a broader shift among hospital air programs nationwide. Stanford Life Flight in California upgraded its own fleet with an Airbus H145 D3 in 2025 to expand cabin room and low-cloud flying capability, while Houston's Memorial Hermann Life Flight has likewise ordered Airbus H145 helicopters to modernize its service. The H145 D3 offers a larger cabin for carrying complex ICU equipment. Not yet announced: which base will house MedStar's new helicopter, or whether it will replace or simply add to the network's existing fleet.
