Covenant’s Kite Flight transport team now flying out of Lubbock Executive Airpark
The team will live at the hangar for the duration of their shift to ensure faster response times.
LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Covenant Children’s Kite Flight transport team is now flying out of a hangar in South Lubbock. Clear Tech Aviation approached Covenant Children’s in February and offered the team a hangar at Lubbock Executive Airpark.
“They had a need to fill with their Kite Flight program and West Texas Transport, so it was just a dream come true for the airport and Covenant,” Owner of Clear Tech Aviation, Kevin Reed, said.
The Kite Flight transport team is a group of certified pediatric and maternal medics. They transport children and expecting mothers to Lubbock to receive the level one care they may not have available in rural areas.
“They need that child out as quickly as possible; it really can be a life-or-death decision for them and life or death as far as the outcome if we’re not there fast,” Covenant Children’s Kite Flight Program Coordinator, Cherish Brodbeck, said.
Since Covenant started the Kite Flight program in 2018, Cherish Brodbeck said they see the need for transport grow every year. In 2019, they completed 97 transports to and from rural areas. By 2022, the team completed 497 transports, and this year are on track to complete 700 transports.
“The hangar is really a game-changer for us. We can get out as fast as possible. When children need care, they need it as fast as possible,” Brodbeck said.
The hangar in South Lubbock is expected to reduce response times in the 100,000-mile coverage area by 50 percent. It’s equipped with 10 private crew rooms, allowing the crew to be there 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“They can take downtime if they need it, so they can rest. That way they’re safe on calls that come in at all times of the day. When they call, we go, so as soon as the call comes in, the team is ready to hop up and run.”
The hangar also holds an educational training room to broadcast interactive training sessions.
“We can broadcast classes around the region to really promote education for people all over West Texas and eastern New Mexico.”
The hangar will offer fuel on site and house the flight crew, helicopter, and three ambulances.
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