Two new H145 helicopters have joined the Minas Gerais Fire Department, enhancing aeromedical rescue operations across one of Brazil’s largest and most challenging landscapes. These twin-engine aircraft, produced by Airbus Helicopters, offer advanced capabilities for rapid response in remote and rugged terrain.
The H145’s five-bladed rotor system provides superior performance, including high-speed cruising and hovering precision essential for hoist operations and patient transport. Equipped for medevac missions, they enable the “golden hour” response—delivering critically injured patients to trauma centers within 60 minutes, significantly improving survival rates.
Minas Gerais, spanning over 586,000 square kilometers with diverse topography from mountains to forests, poses unique challenges for ground ambulances. The helicopters, based at Pampulha Airport hangars, integrate into the department’s aeromedical service, complementing existing EC145 units previously delivered by Helibras.
This fleet expansion supports Brazil’s SAMU emergency system, which handles traumatic, clinical, pediatric, surgical, and obstetric cases via public ambulances. In coordination with fire services reachable at 193, the H145s address gaps in accessibility, particularly in areas prone to accidents and natural disasters.
Helibras, under a Brazil-France agreement, positions Itajubá as a production hub for H145s, fostering local manufacturing, exports, and employment in the aviation sector.