EXHIBIT
99.1
The
#1 Airborne Healthcare Company
Air
Methods Provides 1st Quarter Update
Increased
Weather Cancellations and Higher Maintenance and Fuel Costs to Affect Quarterly
Results
DENVER,
CO., April 22, 2008 -- Air Methods Corporation (NasdaqGS: AIRM), the largest air
medical transportation company in the world, provided an update on first quarter
2008 results.
Based on
preliminary 2008 first quarter results, total community-based patient transports
were 10,570. Patients transported for community bases in operation
greater than one year (Same-Base Transports) decreased 542 transports or 7%,
while weather cancellations for these same bases increased by 642 transports or
30%, compared with the prior-year quarter. These Same-Base Transports
and weather cancellations exclude bases acquired from CJ Systems Aviation Group,
Inc. (CJ) effective October 1, 2007.
The
Company also announced that maintenance and fuel costs for the quarter were
higher than anticipated and higher than levels experienced during the fourth
quarter of 2007, the first full quarter of combined operations with
CJ. Maintenance expenditures per estimated flight hour increased 14%
during the first quarter as compared with the fourth quarter of 2007 and
resulted in approximately $2.5 million increased expense. Fuel costs
per community-based patient transport during the first quarter of 2008 were 39%
higher than the first quarter of 2007. This resulted in approximately
$1 million increase in expense based on first quarter 2008 patient flight
activity.
Offsetting
these increases in flight cancellations and operating costs was $1.3 million in
gains generated from disposition of aircraft. These aircraft were
sold during the first quarter of 2008 as part of the Company’s continuing fleet
rejuvenation activities.
Based on
preliminary results, the Company estimates that its fully diluted earnings will
be between $0.17 and $0.20 per share for the quarter ended March 31,
2008. The Company noted that these preliminary results are subject to
final quarter-end closing and review procedures and are therefore subject to
change.
Aaron
Todd, CEO, stated, “While we are disappointed with the impact of these events on
our quarterly results, variations in weather cancellations and maintenance
events are common to our operations from quarter-to-quarter. We
continue to remain optimistic of our ability to achieve strong growth in
year-over-year earnings per share dependent on more moderate weather
cancellations and maintenance activities. To compensate for the
recent significant increases in fuel costs and to help offset the impact of
these first quarter events, the Company will increase its charges for
community-based transports by an average 7% effective May 1st. Further
increases will be considered during the remainder of 2008 should they be
needed.”
Air
Methods Corporation (www.airmethods.com)
is a leader in emergency air medical transportation and medical services. The
Hospital Based Services Division is the largest provider of air medical
transport services for hospitals. The Community Based Services Division is the
largest community-based provider of air medical services. The Products Division
specializes in the design and manufacture of aeromedical and aerospace
technology. The Company's fleet of owned, leased or maintained aircraft features
over 330 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

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Forward Looking
Statements: This news release includes certain forward-looking
statements, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual
results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a
number of factors, including but not limited to the integration of CJ into
our existing operations, the size, structure and growth of the Company's
air medical services and products markets; the collection rates for
patient transports; the continuation and/or renewal of air medical service
contracts; the acquisition of profitable Products Division contracts and
other flight service operations; the successful expansion of the
community-based operations; and other matters set forth in the Company's
public filings.
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CONTACTS: Aaron D.
Todd, Chief Executive Officer, (303) 792-7413 or Joe Dorame at Lytham Partners,
LLC at (602) 889-9700. Please contact Christine Clarke at (303)
792-7579 to be included on the Company’s fax and/or mailing list.