Travis County Emergency Services presented a request on Aug. 14 to replace its three helicopters and asked Commissioners Court to consider a $54 million earmark to purchase three aircraft under a planned 10-year replacement cycle.
Officials said the current fleet entered service in 2019 and that a replacement cycle begins after roughly 10 years. The county completed a request for information in May and said it is ready to begin an RFP if the court authorizes movement toward replacement and financing.
Emergency Services said the current fleet has an estimated wholesale value of about $19.5 million that could be sold to offset new purchase costs. Planning and Budget noted financing complexity, cautioned that state restrictions on financing or funding could change, and recommended involving PBO early in structuring debt issuance and potential offsets.
Commissioners and staff discussed the fleet's mission: life-saving emergency medical transport, firefighting support and statewide mutual aid in disasters. Staff said billing revenue for air ambulance services covers only a portion of Starflight's operating costs (about 40 percent of the budget), and county subsidy covers the remainder.
No funding decision was made Aug. 14. Emergency Services said it will bring more detailed financing and RFP plans to the court and suggested subcommittee review for Starflight revenue and operational details.
Why this matters: Starflight is a county-operated air ambulance and helicopter-rescue fleet that provides life-critical services locally and, at times, to other jurisdictions. Replacement would be a major capital expense with potential debt issuance and multi-year operating implications.