KEYSTONE HELICOPTER CORPORATION: 1420 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380, United States; Phone (610) 644-4430; Fax (610) 644-7681; Http://www. keystone-helicopter. com; Year Founded 1953. KHC is established by Peter Wright at West Chester in 1953 to operate general rotary-wing support services. Examples of operations carried out over the next 40 years include executive charter, power line patrol, offshore oil rig shuttles, aerial crane flights in support of construction and logging, and air ambulance work. Helicopter manufacturers represented in the company fleet include Sikorsky, Bolkow, Bell, Hughes, and Aerospatiale.
By 1998-1999, Peter Wright Jr. is president and his concern has also become an authorized service center for all of the major helicopter types: Bell, Sikorsky, American Eurocopter, McDonnell Douglas, and their Allison and Turbomeca engines. The fleet now includes 12 Eurocopter BK-117s, 5 Sikorsky S-76s, and 1 Eurocopter SA365N2 Dauphin II.
In addition to its activities as an FAA and JAA approved repair service, Keystone in 2000 manages several corporate helicopters and eight air medical helicopter programs that collectively encompass over 17 twin-engine aircraft, their support, mechanics, and pilots. Keystone’s current air-medical programs include: Allgeheny General Hospital’s Life Flight, Bangor and Lewiston’s Life Flight of Maine, Boston’s Med Flight, Conemaugh’s Med Star, Hahnemann’s University Medevac, Lehigh Valley’s University Medevac, Promedica’s Promedica Air, and Robert Packer’s Guthrie One.
In February, negotiations with Turbomeca Engine Corporation concerning the proposed sale of the Keystone Engine Division in West Chester, Pennsylvania, are broken off.
World History
