Americas (COTA) Formula 1 racetrack opened in the Austin area. STAR Flight contracted with COTA to provide emer- gency response to events on the property. Certain events, such as Formula 1 and Le Mans auto racing and MotoGP motorcycle racing, require an aircraft to remain on the property during the event. STAR Flight has a doctor that maintains the medical center at the track and any medical emer- gency involving staff or spectators will go to that medical center. In the event of an on-track emergency, the doctor will re- spond to the scene and determine if the pa- tient needs transport to a local trauma center or to the onsite medical center. All aircraft are equipped with onboard
flight management equipment and a hoist camera. The hoist camera is always active anytime the hoist is in use, giving instruc- tors the ability to critique rescues without being onboard the aircraft. The crew chief onboard the flight is also the hoist opera- tor, and the rescue person is trained in both swift water and high angle rescues. All STAR Flight aircraft are maintained
by full time mechanics. The mechanics are able to do all of the maintenance ex- cept deep engine repair. Turbomeca han- dles that. The history of STAR Flight has an in-
teresting progression. In 1985, STAR Flight initiated operations with a contract- leased Bell 206B, which was eventually replaced with a larger, more powerful Bell
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206 L3. This aircraft was capable of transporting one patient and was staffed by two medical personnel. In 1990, a Bell 412 SP was added to the fleet. This much larger, more powerful aircraft greatly en- hanced the public safety mission by
adding multiple-patient transport, rescue and short-haul capabilities, and firefight- ing with a suspended Bambi Bucket. This was the primary, frontline aircraft for eight years, with the 206 serving as a backup. In 1998, two Eurocopter EC135s were ac- quired and in early 2006, STAR Flight proudly introduced two Eurocopter EC145 multi-role aircraft, custom outfitted by Metro Aviation. These aircraft are single- pilot IFR, capable of transporting two pa- tients, and equipped with color-weather radar, dual-electric cargo hooks, a wheeled gurney, and a Goodrich electric rescue hoist. This gives the ability to quickly re- configure for a variety of missions, includ- ing firefighting, rescue, and scene response. It can also transport a multiple member specialty team and an isolette. In 2013, the UH-1H Huey was acquired for the sole purpose of fire support duties. With 27 years of accident-free flight op-
erations behind it and a long future in front of it, STAR Flight and its proud crews have become an indispensable asset to Travis County and the Central Texas area.
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