ThedaStar
Neenah, WI

Not all business aircraft are flown to increase a company’s business. Some operators, in fact, would prefer not to bring in more customers.

“We transport critically ill patients,” said Pam Hillen, a flight nurse for ThedaStar, the helicopter medical service of ThedaCare, Inc. in the Fox Valley of Wisconsin. “We all work very hard to discourage new business. But tragedy touches everyone’s life, and when it does, we’re ready.”

ThedaStar was formed in 1986. Later, a community fund drive called the “Golden Hour Drive” raised enough to upgrade from the original Bell 206 LongRanger to a 2008 Eurocopter EC 135P2+, with room for a pilot, two medics, an observer or passenger and one or two patients. It was recently certified for use in instrument flight conditions, and most often helps get victims of auto or snowmobile crashes to a trauma care unit within the critical first 60 minutes after the injury.

“To fly someone at 135 knots straight back to the hospital, as opposed to driving rural back roads at 50 mph, really makes a difference whether that person survives or not,” said Dr. David Schultz, co-medical director of the service. “Especially in a rural area like the Fox Valley, this aircraft is truly a lifesaver.”

Helicopters used in the medical business last year transported an estimated 400,000 patients nationwide. An additional 150,000 patients were transported in fixed-wing medical aircraft.

“A lot of people say to me, ‘oh, I heard the helicopter last night and I said a prayer because I knew the rotary angels were at work,” said Hillen, who is completing her 25^th year of service as a ThedaStar flight nurse. “It makes me feel proud. I see many more miracles every day than most people do in a lifetime.”