June 24, 2014

Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas recently added a new aircraft to their Teddy Bear Transport fleet, promising faster travel times, longer distances and additional seating. Since March, the Teddy Bear Transport crew has undergone training and proving runs with the Cessna Citation Encore+ jet.

“We are beyond excited about our new aircraft,” said Deborah Boudreaux, Cook Children’s Director of Teddy Bear Transport. “With critical children, every second counts and this jet can help us get to the patients faster than ever before.”

The Encore can travel nearly 1,400 miles farther in a day than the team’s current King Air B200, and with speeds up to 494 miles per hour, it will get them to their destination faster. The jet is equipped with weather radar, advanced flight instruments, GPS navigation and the capability to transport two parents with the patient.

With nearly 2,500 transports each year, Cook Children’s Teddy Bear Transport is one of the busiest neonatal/pediatric transport programs in the nation. The jet was made possible by a generous gift from Clarabele “Pit” Dodson.

Click here for more information on Dodson’s generous donation. 

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