A. Lee Graham
Reporter
First Flight has chosen McKinney National Airport as the air ambulance company’s new headquarters.
The firm, which provides medical air transport for emergency and non-emergency patients from rural area hospitals, will lease a 12,000 square-foot hangar and offices at the airport.
The space will serve as the base for supporting operations in East Texas. First Flight will be based at the new facility, as well as operate an aircraft maintenance operation for its aircraft and other aircraft.
“We are thrilled to move into our new facility at McKinney National Airport,” said Denny O’Hara, president of First Flight in a news release. “This facility will allow us to continue to grow our business of supporting hospitals in smaller communities with state-of-the art aircraft to transport patients to larger medical facilities for specialized care,” O’Hara said.
First Flight’s eight-aircraft include Cessna 421s and King Airs. Each plane features flight paramedics and nurses who have earned critical care certification. First Flight will add 36 employees within three years.
“We know First Flight will have a positive impact on the community and the airport,” said McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller.
“McKinney National Airport is an ideal place for First Flight to continue to grow their business with access to all the resources of a major urban area without the congestion we see around other local airports,” Loughmiller said.
McKinney National Airport borders the edge of DFW Class-B airspace, simplifying and shortening aircraft arrival and departure times. While emergency medical flights receive priority clearance, other flights coming into the airport avoid having to be sequenced along with more than 3,800 daily aircraft operations to and from larger commercial airports and other general aviation airports that are deep within the tightly controlled Class-B space.
First Flight owns, operates, and maintains an air ambulance service serving several Texas communities. More information is available at www.flytki.com.