STARS has welcomed the two newest members of their fleet.

The non-profit air ambulance service purchased two new Airbus H147 aircrafts, and unveiled them at their Calgary base Thursday, April 18.

After an independent review in 2018, STARS determined they needed to replace their aging BK 117 aircrafts by 2022.

The current BK 117s were purchased in the mid-80s when STARS was founded.

Andrea Robertson, STARS' President and CEO, says the organization is ecstatic about the new purchases.

"We're over the moon. This is an epic, unbelievable day for us. You see the beautiful machine behind us. It is 34 years newer than our current fleet," Robertson said.

STARS is hoping the new purchases will give them a longer reach.

Robertson says the H147s will be faster, and be able to reach deeper into the mountains. But she says the training process will be very in-depth for their staff.

"Our pilots need to do a series of training on this specific aircraft. They're all trained and ready to go, but now we want them flying in the mountains, at night, landing at scenes. All of that before we lift our first patient. Same is true with our air medical crew. We want them very familiar with the back where everything is, so they can get it at a moment's notice," Robertson said.

By comprehensively prepping their staff, Robertson believes they will be prepared for any emergency that could arise when the new helicopters are in service.

"Because when you're with us, you're critically ill, and we don't want to be thinking. We want to be just doing," she said.

It was announced in March that the outgoing NDP government had donated $13 million to purchase one of the new helicopters.

A release from STARS says they plan to purchase nine helicopters in total to replace the current fleet.

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