MVH CareFlight Updates

I've noticed several changes regarding CareFlight recently. First things first; MICU 4 was delivered in June. A new helicopter (replacing the current CF 4, N63CF) has been purchased - I don't know when it will be delivered.

I think that the basing has been changed around based on what I've heard over the past few days:
CF 1 - Grimes Field AP
CF 2 - Darke County Criminal Justice Center?
CF 3 - Lebanon-Warren County AP
CF 4 - MVH Heliport
MICU 1 - MVH South
MICU 2 - MVH
MICU 3 - MVH South
MICU 4 - MVH Jamestown

And the current MARCS radio IDs with dates last confirmed:
5280 - MICU 4 [8/8]
14122 - MICU 1 [5/17]
14123 - MICU 1 [8/8]
14124 - MICU 2 [8/6]
18261 - CF 3 [8/8]
33500 - Care Comm [8/6]
33501 - Care Comm [8/6]
33502 - Care Comm [8/6]
33503 - Urbana Base [8/6]
34278 - MICU 3 [8/8]
34406 - CF 1 [8/7]
36578 - Warren County Base *not heard recently*
36579 - MICU 1 [8/6]
39836 - CF 2 [8/6]

If anyone can provide more info, please do so!

The helicopters are rotated around from base to base depending on the maintenance needs and hours being accumulated. There is no CF at the Criminal Justice Center in Darke County. They only fly 3 helicopters. The fourth is for when one goes down for maintenance needs.

Careflight Updates

I'm lined up with all the same RID's as you, Jared. Seems like the MICU radios move around from unit to unit quite a bit. (had an MICU 10 in there for a while)

Dont have an exact date, but I've heard Warren Co. Base within the last month or so.

If the historical order of things continues, I would look for the new helicopter to become the new Careflight 1 and everything else to move up one digit. 63CF went into service in 1989, so it's certainly seen it's time.

Look for the new tail number to be N730CF or 731CF, depending on whether the papers were signed in 2013 or 2014. This signifies the 7th helicopter in either their 30th or 31st year in operation. (could also be 307 or 317 too)

N730CF is a 2013 Eurocopter AS365N3.... Presently registered to Airbus in Texas.

There was a MICU 10 (marked as such) at some point. Not sure if it's still around.

When I asked about the new helicopter at the 30th anniversary in October, I was told that it had been built and was flown from the factory to be fitted with the unique equipment. N730CF was complete at that time (seen at the factory in August) and fits the timeline. I would expect a delivery this summer.

I've been checking the last few weeks for any pictures of the new CareFlight 1 online and today I found some. I was at flickr.com and decided to do a random search using "N730CF" in the search field, and came across a few photos of the new helicopter. Very nice looking helicopter with some minor changes to the paint scheme.

Quint2 said:

I've been checking the last few weeks for any pictures of the new CareFlight 1 online and today I found some. I was at flickr.com and decided to do a random search using "N730CF" in the search field, and came across a few photos of the new helicopter. Very nice looking helicopter with some minor changes to the paint scheme.

Click to expand...

.....and you didn't post the photos here?

I've never uploaded photos here before, so I'm really not sure how to do that. Since they're not my photos, I'm wasn't sure if I could share them here or not, that's why I specified how I found them so others could take a look.

CareFlight Updates

Here she is! The "New" CareFlight 1. Please keep in mind that at the time of photo, this aircraft is still in the production process. However, this photo gives you a sneak peak at the new Premier Health paint scheme that has already been seen on the new MICU 4 (based at Miami Valley Hospital). In addition to this replacement helicopter, which should arrive yet this spring, two new replacement MICU trucks have already arrived in Dayton. They are in the process of being inspected and prepared to take the road. The new trucks will replace MICU 1 (based at Miami Valley Hospital South) and MICU 2 (based at Miami Valley Hospital). When N730CF is placed into service, it will replace N63CF and will have a MARCS radio. The MARCS radios from the old MICU 1 and MICU 2 will be transferred into the new trucks when they are placed into service.

Also, just to clarify, all CareFlight aircraft are rotated around bases periodically for maintenance reasons. There are three 24-hour bases....Urbana Grimes Airport, Miami Valley Hospital, and Lebanon-Warren County Airport. There is also a maintenance hangar at Moraine Airpark, but this is not used as a base, it is only for heavy maintenance or hangaring the MVH aircraft during severe weather. Our 4th aircraft is rotated into service while a primary aircraft is undergoing maintenance and inspections. This allows bases to remain available, even though an aircraft is in maintenance.

Is the 2 ambulances from Upper Valley going to be used as a MICU?

The trucks at Upper Valley Medical Center are staffed and equipped to be be ALS trucks. There is no plan to change that at this point.

Just wanted to hop back in the thread and give a big thanks to the CareFlight staff for being so accommodating to the MONIX radio group during our tour on 5/10. We were all blown away by the program and the people - it was a great experience for everyone who attended!