Serving the Denver Metro and the Greater Rocky Mountain Region since 1983
AirLife made its maiden flight on May 9, 1983 to Durango, Colorado in a Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter. In its first year of service, AirLife completed 207 missions.
The following year, 1984, was also a significant year for AirLife as a second helicopter and a plane were added to the service. The high-risk OB team was started and the AirLife communications center began operations. The first Double "Chopper Go" occurred on July 4, 1984 in response to a motor vehicle accident.
In 1985, AirLife flew its first international mission to Mexico to transport a Denver native with congestive heart failure back home. By 1986, AirLife had completed 2,000 missions.
In 1989, the Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump team was established. The neonatal team was added in 1991 and pediatric transport services were enhanced in 1992. In 1997, AirLife put two new Bell 407 helicopters into service. In May of 2012 our Cheyenne, WY base was opened at the Cheyenne Medical Center, subsequently closing in 2020. In 2015, our Hugo, CO helicopter base, located at Lincoln Community Hospital, was opened. In 2018, AirLife opened another Eastern, CO base at Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke, CO, solidifying our Air Medical support of the Eastern Plains. Both of these rural bases are still in 24/7 operation as of 2023. AirLife’s most recent base opening at North Suburban Medical Center in Thornton, CO began continuous services in April 2023.
With the addition of a second rural base, we also added a dedicated spare helicopter to help support our maintenance team and service area. In August 2018, AirLife Denver became the first air medical program to upgrade its standard Bell 407 helicopters with the Eagle 407 HP engine conversion adding significant power and safety performance to our hot and high-altitude climate. AirLife currently operates the EagleHP in all bases except Holyoke, CO, which typically operates at a lower altitude and utilizes a 407 with an upgraded VIP engine.
Since 1983, AirLife has completed more than 65,000 transports, and as of 2023, has reached 40 years of excellent medical transport service to the Rocky Mountains and surrounding regions.
We serve Colorado and surrounding states. Helicopter transports achieve a 150-mile radius from our various bases while fixed-wing aircraft enable AirLife crews to transport up to 500 miles.
Air ambulance licensure is maintained in Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas. With more than 3,000 transports a year, AirLife is one of the largest and busiest air medical programs in the region providing emergency air and ground transport 24 hours a day.
AirLife Denver currently has operational bases throughout the greater Denver, Colorado region at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, North Suburban Medical Center in Thornton, and serves the Eastern Plains of Colorado from Lincoln Community Hospital in Hugo and Melissa Memorial Medical Center in Holyoke. AirLife Denver also operates a fixed-wing hangar at the Centennial Airport in Centennial, CO allowing greater access to the Western US region.