Covenant Children’s Specialty Transport Fleet Gets New Hangar at Lubbock Executive Airpark
The Covenant Children’s Specialty Transport fleet is getting a new home at Lubbock Executive Airpark (LEA).
Thanks to a generous investment from ClearTech Aviation, Covenant Children’s will store its specialty ambulance and Kite Flight 1, specialty transport helicopter, in a new hangar at LEA, scheduled to be complete in August 2023.
The 13,000+ total square foot space will accommodate two aircrafts in the large, enclosed hangar, provide cover for four ambulances, and includes space for an on-site mechanic and equipment storage, and living quarters for our Kite Flight crew members.
“Our pediatric transport program started out as one of our greatest needs and has become one of our greatest successes when it comes to treating patients all over West
Texas and eastern New Mexico,” Dr. Amy Thompson said. “As we continue to expand our reach, our growing fleet of transportation vehicles will allow us to provide excellent quality health care to even more families.”
The hangar was made possible by a multi-million-dollar initial investment from ClearTech Aviation, comprised of Chet Pharies and Kevin Reed, the owners of Lubbock Executive Airpark. LEA is a privately owned, public use airport that is currently undergoing a multi-million-dollar expansion.
“I have a desire to build Carpet Tech, and all my businesses, into something that sets us apart from everyone else,” owner Chet Pharies said. “We’ve become the best through hard work, honesty, integrity, and high-quality service. That’s why I am so drawn to Covenant Children’s, because we have the same goals. We are thrilled to welcome the Covenant Children’s Pediatric Transport team and their fleet to Lubbock Executive Airport. Together we are investing in the betterment of our community.”
After launching in 2021 with our ambulance built just for kids, the Covenant Children’s Specialty Transport fleet grew again early last year with the addition of Kite Flight 1, our specialty transport helicopter. In December 2022, Kite Flight started transporting high-risk OB patients as part of its services.
In 2022, the team saw a 30% increase in transport requests from the previous year. With this new philanthropic partnership, the Covenant Children’s Specialty Transport
program can continue to expand and serve families in West Texas and eastern New Mexico.
On a daily basis, the hangar will house Kite Flight crew members and pilots, along with office staff. The space will also be used to host meetings and classes for those around
the region.
The new hangar will include:
10 crew member bedrooms | three full bathrooms | large living room
kitchen/dining room | crew office | equipment/supply room
laundry room | helmet/mudroom | supervisor office
With direct access to fuel, and easy access to I-27/87 and the future Outer Loop (Loop 88), this location at LEA allows for the fastest response times whether transporting patients by ground or air.
Lubbock Executive Airpark recently completed Phase I of its renovation which included: the demolition of outdated hangars, construction of new hangar space to accommodate 30 aircraft, new concrete aircraft ramps and taxiways, and new self-service fuel system.
LEA wants to provide a secondary airport for the City of Lubbock and surrounding areas, with a focus on general aviation. Without traffic from airlines and military planes, LEA drastically reduces time on the ground, saving time and money for pilots.
LEA is in Phase II of renovations including the runway extension and upgrade. Once complete, the 5100-foot concrete runway will be equipped with LED lighting and
instrument approaches. The improvements allow LEA to expand their operational capabilities to accommodate and support most business/corporate aircraft.
The final phase of development includes the construction of privately owned corporate hangars.
About Covenant Health:
Covenant Children’s is the only independently licensed, freestanding, children’s hospital in West Texas and eastern New Mexico and is one of only eight members of the
Children’s Hospital Association of Texas and is the only one in our region. As a faith-based health care system, it is Covenant Health’s vision to create Health for a
Better World. As the Best Hospital in the Panhandle Plains region as voted by U.S. News and World Report, Covenant Health has consistently provided exceptional health
care to West Texas, and eastern New Mexico for more than 100 years. Our clinically integrated health network of eight hospitals, and more than 6,000 caregivers allows us
to provide our patients with better access to care using more innovative technology and procedures, while focusing on new age approaches to health care like education and
preventative medicine. To learn more about Covenant Health, please visit covenanthealth.org or our Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, pages.
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