STARS unveils $13M helicopter as part of fleet modernization

A new STARS Airbus H145 at the Edmonton International Airport on June 21, 2022 (John Hanson/CTV News Edmonton).

There is a new state-of-the-art lifeline in the skies above Alberta.

On Tuesday, STARS Air Ambulance showed off its new Airbus H145 helicopter at the Edmonton International Airport.

The H145 can carry heavier loads and is able to reach areas that previous models could not.

Its arrival also standardizes equipment with the other six bases in western Canada.

“Today is about commemorating with our community allies the arrival of a new fleet that will serve patients across Alberta for decades to come,” said STARS president and CEO Andrea Robertson.

“With Edmonton being our last base to implement the H145, today is also about celebrating the fact that our ambitious fleet renewal program is now a reality.”

Robertson called the H145 a "gold standard" in EMS aircraft.

STARS is a not-for-profit charity that launched in 1985. There are typically five helicopters operating in Alberta at any time.