FutureFlight
Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation Backs Airbus Study On Emergency Medical Role For eVTOL Aircraft
Norway's geography poses particular challenges to the task of getting urgent care to patients in life-threatening situations.
Leif Olestad (left), representing the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, announced a partnership with Airbus' head of urban air mobility Balkiz Sarihan.
Leif Olestad (left), representing the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, announced a partnership with Airbus' head of urban air mobility Balkiz Sarihan to explore how eVTOL aircraft could improve emergency medical services in the country. (Image: AIN/Charles Alcock)

The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation is working with Airbus to devise ways to deploy the manufacturer’s in-development CityAirbus NextGen aircraft for emergency medical flights. The partnership between the not-for-profit emergency medical service provider and the aircraft manufacturer was announced on March 8 during the Heli-Expo show in Atlanta.

The organizations said they will look at potential use cases for eVTOL aircraft in Norway with a view to integrating the operational requirements into the configuration of the CityAirbus vehicle. The project is expected to result in a roadmap for reducing emergency response times and improving patient outcomes by assessing how eVTOLs could complement existing helicopters already used by Norwegian Air Ambulance, including a mix of H135 and H145 aircraft.