Helitune RT-6 delivers $53,445 in savings for STAT MedEvac HEMS fleet
Helitune presented findings from a six-month study at VERTICON in Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2025, demonstrating the measurable impact of the Rotortuner RT-6 on rotor track-and-balance (RTB) operations for a US Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operator.
STAT MedEvac, a multi-state HEMS provider operating across Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and Ohio, first met Helitune at HAI in 2022. Following a practical demonstration of the RT-6 system, STAT MedEvac purchased two RT-6 units with EC135 and BK117 C2 application kits. The fleet of 23 aircraft, 19 EC135 and four BK117 C2, is maintained primarily at Allegheny County Airport and at satellite units across 18 operational bases.
The study analysed RTB data collected over six months, comparing the performance of the Helitune RT-6 against the legacy RTB system previously used by STAT MedEvac. The aim was to identify differences in sortie times, ground runs, flights taken and adjustments made, and to quantify the overall operational and financial impact.
Headline results
Over the six months, the deployment of two RT-6 units across the STAT MedEvac fleet delivered:
- $53,445 in total cost savings
- 59 fewer aircraft hours
- 98 fewer engine cycles
- 98 fewer adjustments
- 33 technician manhours saved
EC135 main rotor savings
Data was collected over 17 RTB activities on 15 different aircraft. Using the legacy RTB system, the average EC135 main rotor RTB required 4 ground runs, 3 hover flights, 3 forward flights and 7 adjustment sets between 10 engine starts. With the RT-6, mean averages were reduced to 2 ground runs, 2 full flights and 4.1 engine starts and stops, with 3 adjustment sets.
Over six months, the RT-6 saved on the EC135:
- $40,171 in aircraft hours and fuel cost
- $2,363 saved per RTB on average
- 102 engine cycles saved
- 48 flying hours saved
- 34 ground runs saved
- 68 RTB flights saved
- 68 adjustments saved
BK117 C2 main rotor savings
Data was collected over two RTB activities on two different aircraft. The legacy system required an average of 4 ground runs, 6 hover flights, 4 forward flights and 10 adjustment sets between 14 engine starts. With the RT-6, this was reduced to 2 ground runs, 3 full flights and 5 engine starts, with 4 adjustment sets.
Over six months, the RT-6 saved on the BK117 C2 main rotor:
- $13,635 in overall operating costs
- $6,822 saved per RTB on average
- 18 engine cycles saved
- 8 hours 40 minutes flying/running time saved
- 4 ground runs saved
- 14 RTB flights saved
- 16 adjustments saved
BK117 C2 tail rotor savings
The BK117 C2 tail rotor presented the greatest challenge with the legacy system, requiring 12–15 ground runs (sometimes more than 20) and 11–14 adjustment sets. With the RT-6, this was reduced to 4 ground runs and 4 engine starts and stops.
Over six months, the RT-6 saved on the BK117 C2 tail rotor:
- $6,453 in aircraft operating costs
- $3,226.50 saved per tail balance on average
- 16 engine cycles saved
- 4 hours 20 minutes running time saved
- 16 ground runs saved
- 16 adjustments saved
Impact of the results
Reduced RTB time and cost has a direct operational impact on a HEMS fleet. Fewer ground runs and shorter sortie times mean less downtime, faster return to service and improved aircraft availability. Fewer engine starts and cycles reduce fatigue on cycle and hour-sensitive components, lowering long-term maintenance burden. Less time flying at higher than desired vibration levels during RTB testing also reduces the risk of secondary faults and crew fatigue.
For a HEMS operator, every hour of operational readiness has the potential to be critical. As Helitune Senior Flight Test Engineer Sean Carrington noted in the presentation:
Every extra minute of operational readiness for these helicopters means a greater chance of life for patients in a critical condition. Reducing vibration becomes ever more crucial when the patient being flown has sustained a traumatic brain or spinal injury.
Sean Carrington, Senior Flight Test Engineer, Helitune
Bryan Smith, Maintenance Manager at STAT MedEvac, added:
This is an amazing track and balance system, we love it!
Bryan Smith, Maintenance Manager, STAT MedEvac
Read the full case study
Full details of the STAT MedEvac study, including a breakdown of RTB data by aircraft type and rotor system, sortie-time comparisons, and cost calculations, are available in the Helitune STAT MedEvac case study.
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