LifeFlight of Maine 'completes the fleet' with third helicopter

After a 5-year $20 million campaign, LifeFlight of Maine has completed its fleet.

The organization says they now have three upgraded critical care helicopters.

LifeFlight of Maine says having the three identical choppers creates a standardization that is important for pilots, clinical crews, and mechanics who work across the fleet.

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The helicopters also have greater power and speed as well as a bigger interior workspace and advanced aviation electronics.

LifeFlight of Maine says this means more patients will be helped in the years to come.

"These new aircraft, with their advanced avionics can fly in better and different weather conditions, so that's more patients served, more safely, for all the people of Maine,” said Kate O’Halloran, the executive director of the LifeFlight Foundation.

"I see the good work that they do every single day and to have them have the most state-of-the-art equipment to help them do their job to take care of the patients is really wonderful,” said Kris Chaisson, the chief nursing officer at Central Maine Healthcare.

The LifeFlight Foundation says 7,500 donors came together to help make this possible.