PROGRAMS-SERVICES-Care-in-the-Air_image2Hawai‘i Life Flight is an air ambulance provider serving the Hawaiian Islands, transporting patients from pediatrics to geriatrics. It’s scope of care ranges from cardiac and trauma to neurological and burn patients.

This emergency air medical transportation is especially important for Neighbor Island residents who don’t live near major medical centers, Kawika Villa says. “If you or a family member suffer an accident or serious medical problem and needed to be transferred to a medical facility on another island,” he says, “Hawai‘i Life Flight will transport you in a modern, medically equipped and professionally staffed aircraft.”

The Crew

The Hawai‘i Life Flight medical crew members average 10 years of critical care or emergency medicine experience. The flight nurses and paramedics use the latest technology and advanced education to transport patients who may require advanced procedures and monitoring.

New Name, Goals & Service

Hawai‘i Life Flight might be the new name in Hawai‘i’s air ambulance industry, but the company has actually been serving the state since 1979. Owner Joseph Hunt purchased Hawai‘i Air Ambulance in 2006 to improve the quality of air ambulance services in the Islands. The company changed its name in 2010, and is now known as Hawai‘i Life Flight. Hunt vowed to make vast improvements to increase the safety, reliability and responsiveness of the company to give the people of Hawai‘i an air medical 
transportation company worthy of their trust and support.

PROGRAMS-SERVICES-Care-in-the-Air_image1In 2006, Hunt got to work right away hiring an entirely new management team. He replaced the older Cessna fleet with newer, faster aircraft, opting for Raytheon King Air C90B models. More than $2 million of custom reconfiguration work was done to prepare the fleet for the demands of Hawai‘i’s medical community. The company also raised the bar when selecting pilots, aircraft maintenance and medical personnel to above current FAA and industry standards. In addition, new positions were created to monitor and ensure quality management and safety, compliance, efficient communications and risk assessment.

Hawai‘i Life Flight’s vision was to decrease the wait times and ensure safe, efficient and reliable response. Hawai‘i Life Flight has opened six bases throughout the state at Li¯hu‘e, Kahului, Honolulu, Kamuela, Hilo and Kona. Each of these bases has a flight crew response time of approximately 20 minutes or less to the patient’s bedside or base airport. Crews actually live in the communities they serve and participate at various community events.

Membership Program

Hawai‘i Life Flight also has a membership program that makes out-of-pocket expenses affordable to patients. Most major insurance carriers are accepted. Hawai‘i Life Flight membership program waives the member’s insurance deductible and co-payment when Hawai‘i Life Flight provides emergency air medical transportation between the Hawaiian Islands.

Membership prices start at just $49 per year for seniors, ages 55 and up. Family plans are also available, and cover the applicant, spouse and dependents to age 18 or 23 if full time students.


For more information, contact Kawika Villa at 808-833-2270, kvilla@hawaiilifeflight.com or visit www.hawaiilifeflight.com.