Out with the old, in with the new…hangar

They’re known as the ambulance of the sky.

AeroCare transports patients from remote areas of our county to Yuma Regional Medical Center, and sometimes even out of town.

AeroCare, in partnership with Yuma International Airport, held a grand opening of a new hangar Thursday.

The goal was to build a better facility for AeroCare’s staff to operate.

According to the crew, the old hangar was nothing compared to this new one.

Lead pilot, Bob Sivert, described the old hanger as having, “no insulation, so in the summertime, it was really hot. Our mechanics had to start really early and then end early, and work through the night. It just wasn’t ideal.”

Helicopter mechanic, Tony Rodriguez, was grateful for the updated hangar, saying, “This is like the Taj Mahal compared to the last hangar. Every aspect of this hangar is an improvement to the last hanger.”

Rodriguez spent a year as a mechanic in the old hangar and described the environment as overheated, nestled with pigeons, and extremely dusty.

However, the new hangar is equipped with insulated walls and doors, four A/C units, and plenty of office and training space.

Rodriguez believes this gesture from the company is an indication of how much AeroCare genuinely cares about their staff.

Randy Lyman, Chief Operating Officer of AeroCare’s parent company, Guardian Flight, said, “Climate control within the hangar for our mechanics is by far the number one issue that we’re dealing with.”

All aircraft are now maintained in the new facility located at 141 East 40th street in Yuma.

It gives staff a better ability to serve the patients and customers in our region.

As part of AeroCare’s long-term lease agreement with Yuma International Airport, they plan to open other hangars and structures for their crews to provide quicker access to emergency health care.