December 06, 2023 | MedFlight of Ohio | Portsmouth, Ohio
Last week MedFlight 7, based at Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport, ceased operations. According to newpaper reports, the closing is a result of staffing issues, climbing expenses and reimbursement issues.
This base started operations in 2006 as joint Air Mehods program between MedFlight of Ohio and HealthNet in West Virginia. The program was HealthNet 4 / MedFlight 7 and sported a dual livery. One side of the aircraft was painted with the HealthNet livery, the other side with the MedFlight livery.
In 2020, the partnership ended, the aircraft was repainted with the MedFlight livery and the N number changed from N47HN to N130KR.
With the closing, N130KR was immediately placed in the Air Methods backup pool and was relocated to temporary duty in Virginia.
MedFlight 7 was the only Air Methods base in the MedFlight of Ohio program. All other MedFlight of Ohio bases are operated by Metro Aviation.
Photo by Matt Skelton.