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UVA Health leadership, team members, and the media gathered this month on UVA Health University Medical Center’s rooftop helipad as Pegasus Air — the flight rescue arm of UVA Health’s Medical Transport Network — celebrated its 40th anniversary of service, transporting more than 20,000 patients.

"One of the most important things we do at UVA Health is delivering expert care when and where it’s needed most," says Wendy Horton, PharmD, MBA, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer, UVA Health University Medical Center (pictured above; read more in her latest Vision and Voice blog). "For 40 years, our Pegasus team has helped make that possible by delivering lifesaving care through both air and ground programs across the state." Watch the video.

In four decades, Pegasus Air has used five helicopters, with the most recent upgrade in 2023 with the latest safety equipment, reflecting a commitment to patient and team member safety.

This helicopter is also larger — providing more space to accommodate patients with complex health needs, including those requiring specialized equipment such as incubators or ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; modified heart-lung bypass machine).

"Day, night ... we support the community. Picking up — as needed — patients on the scene, out on the field, on the interstate, or from hospital-to-hospital," explains Don Rees, lead pilot (pictured above, second from left). "This is the newest thing on the market. The technology is leaps and bounds over what I've flown over the past years. It's important to have all the safety factors we have on this aircraft. I love flying this helicopter!"

The new helicopter also supports one of our strategic plan goals, Strengthening Our Foundation, as critical and appreciable investments are being made to modernize our operations and support infrastructure to make it easier for patients to access our services and for teams to provide care.

UVA Health’s Medical Transport Network now includes about 20 flight nurses and paramedics, 10 neonatal and pediatric specialists, and more than 50 emergency medical services providers.

"I love my job, I love the people I work with, and I think this is just a very important thing to do be doing for our community," Miranda Weyrick, RN, CCRN, EMT, UVA Health flight nurse (pictured above), tells reporters. "We're able to get to our community much faster." 

The neonatal and pediatric team works closely with Pegasus Air to ensure even our youngest patients safely and swiftly are transported to our UVA Health University Medical Center Level 4 Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Charlottesville, Virginia or to our UVA Health Prince William Medical Center Level 3 NICU in Manassas, Virginia.

The Pegasus Air flight crew splits time between the helicopter and a Pegasus Ground custom-designed, critical care ambulance.

Pegasus Air and Ground are vital components of UVA Health’s Medical Transport Network, offering transportation services to get patients timely care.