Life Star of Kansas was organized by Stormont-Vail HealthCare
and St. Francis Health Center as a consortium, not-for-profit
corporation in 1987 and transported its first
patient in February of 1988. Until 2001 it operated as a single-aircraft,
single base program from Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas.
Les Milam (left) and Dennis Sewell in the early days.
In May of 2001 Life Star opened its “west”
base 70 miles west of Topeka in Junction City, Kansas. The west
base began as a 12-hour per day operation and expanded to a
24/7 service in June of 2003. Life Star’s west base is
located on Freeman Field in Junction City.
The first aircraft based in Junction City.
In April of 2002 Life Star opened its “east”
base 20 miles east of Topeka in Lawrence, Kansas. The east base
and the Forbes base shared one helicopter and crew, flying the
aircraft to Lawrence throughout the day, returning to Forbes
at night when the west base closed. The east base became a 24/7
operation at Lawrence Municipal Airport in July of 2003.
Aircraft at our first Junction City base, Fire Station #2.
Life Star has flown a number of different types of aircraft
throughout its history. It began in a Bell 206. It has also
flown two BK 117s, a BO 105 and currently operates two AS 350
B2 and one AS 350 B3 aircraft.
Life Star of Kansas was organized by Stormont-Vail HealthCare
and St. Francis Health Center as a consortium, not-for-profit
corporation in 1987 and transported its first
patient in February of 1988. Until 2001 it operated as a single-aircraft,
single base program from Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas.
The first aircraft based in Junction City.
