AirLink

Safely bringing you to care by air when minutes count.

AirLink medical helicopters are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to transport critical and injured patients from other facilities or transfer patients from scene-to-hospital. AirLink helicopters are licensed to operate in North and South Carolina. Our AirLink partner, Apollo, provides aircrafts, pilots and service mechanics.

About Novant Health AirLink helicopters

Novant Health AirLink medical helicopters are located throughout southeastern North Carolina to transport you to a nearby medical facility when you experience a time-sensitive emergency like a spinal injury or serious burn. Our locations: 

  • Albert Ellis Airport in Richlands, NC
  • Columbus Regional Healthcare System in Whiteville, NC
  • Novant Health Brunswick Novant Center in Bolivia, NC 
  • Novant Health Rowan Medical Center in Salisbury, NC

AirLink operates under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) with twin-engine Airbus 135 and 145 helicopters capable of flying at speeds of up to 136 knots.

In the coastal region, AirLink provides air medical transport to New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Sampson, Clinton, Bladen, Robeson, Onslow, Carteret, Duplin, Jones and Lenoir counties. In central region, AirLink provides air medical services to Rowan, Davidson, Davie, Iredell, Forsyth, Yadkin, Surry, Stokes, Randolph, Stanly, Montgomery, and Cabarrus counties. AirLink also covers Horry, Georgetown and Florence counties in South Carolina.

Training & Education

Novant Health AirLink & VitaLink offers a variety of public outreach and clinical continuing education courses available through our outreach and education teams. If you are interested in training or educational opportunities, please call (910) 667-8973. 

Request Transport

If you are a referring provider or hospital needing to arrange a patient transport call:

Transport and care for time-sensitive medical needs

You or a loved one may need air medical transport if you experience an emergency or need to be moved to another facility. Novant Health AirLink helicopters provide care during transport and may be used when a ground ambulance is unavailable. Emergency conditions requiring air medical transport include: 

  • Multi-system trauma
  • Severe traumatic brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • High-risk obstetrical emergencies
  • Acute pediatric illnesses 
  • Respiratory failure
  • Patients requiring transport directly to an ICU or operating room.
  • Acute stroke including potential need for thrombectomy
  • Non-traumatic head bleed
  • Severe sepsis/septic shock
  • Limb reattachment 
  • Ischemic body region (limb, bowel, etc.)
  • Vascular emergencies (dissection, aneurysm, occlusions)
  • Post cardiac arrest
  • ST Segment myocardial infarction
  • Shock 

Equipped for your critical care needs

Novant Health AirLink helicopters are equipped to handle critical patients during transport. Each AirLink helicopter offers: 

  • Whole blood
  • EPOC Point of Care Lab Testing 
  • Advanced ventilator management
  • Non-invasive positive pressure ventilations (BiPAP)
  • High flow nasal cannula
  • Video laryngoscopy
  • Escharotomy
  • Cardiac monitoring with 12-lead ECG
  • Cardioversion and pacing
  • Vasoactive drug therapy
  • Antibiotics 
  • Intracranial pressure monitoring
  • Invasive line monitoring
  • Advanced pharmacologic support including more than 80 drugs 

Nationally Recognized for Safety & Care

Over the years, Novant Health AirLink & VitaLink critical care transport and EMS services have earned recognition for our safety, operational, and patient care efforts, including annual recognition from Mission: Lifeline EMS since 2014. Recent recognition includes:

  • Gold Plus Recognition from Mission: Lifeline EMS, 2017-2024  
  • Achievement of the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, accreditation (CAMTS)  
  • College of American Pathologists, accreditation (CAP) 
A Novant Health team member is sitting at her workstation on the computer while others are printing copies and on phone calls.

Request Community Education

Our team of safety experts from the Novant Health AirLink and VitaLink teams can participate in your group event or public safety activity in New Hanover County. Upon availability, we participate in public events including:  

  • Community CPR (Hands Only CPR) training 
  • Stop the Bleed™ training 
  • Career days (critical care/flight medical professionals and helicopter pilots) 
  • Touch a Truck 
  • Public gatherings (festivals, picnics, fundraisers) 
  • Parades   

To request our participation, call: (910) 667-8973.