EXHIBIT
99.1
The #1 Airborne Healthcare Company
Air
Methods Provides 2nd Quarter Update and
Date
of Quarterly Conference Call
Continued
High Weather Cancellations and Higher Operating Costs to Affect Quarterly
Results
AIRM
to Report Second Quarter Financial Results on Thursday, August 7,
2008
DENVER,
CO., July 24, 2008 -- Air Methods Corporation (NasdaqGS: AIRM), the largest air
medical transportation company in the world, provided an update on second
quarter 2008 results.
Based on
preliminary 2008 second quarter results, total community-based patient
transports were 11,635. Patients transported for community bases in
operation greater than one year (Same-Base Transports) decreased 651 transports
or 7%, while weather cancellations for these same bases increased by 459
transports compared with the prior-year quarter. For the six-month
period ended June 30, 2008, Same-Base Transports decreased by 1,228 or 7%, while
weather cancellations increased by 1,095. These Same-Base Transports
and weather cancellations exclude bases acquired from CJ Systems Aviation Group,
Inc. (CJ) effective October 1, 2007. Net revenue per community-based
transport was approximately $6,725 for the current-year quarter, compared with
$6,412 in the prior-year quarter and $6,622 in the first quarter of
2008.
The
Company also announced that fuel costs per community-based patient transport
were 58% higher than during the prior-year quarter. Based on patients
transported during the current-year quarter, this increase resulted in
approximately $1.8 million in increased fuel costs. Maintenance
expenditures per flight hour increased approximately 21% during the current
quarter as compared with the second quarter of 2007, excluding the effect of
aircraft acquired in the CJ acquisition. Total consolidated cost per
flight hour was relatively unchanged with first quarter 2008
levels. While the Company had anticipated higher maintenance costs
during the second quarter as compared to the prior-year quarter, actual costs on
a volume-adjusted basis exceeded expectations by approximately $0.8
million. The Company also reported that the combined, uninsured costs
of the accidents experienced during the current-year quarter were approximately
$0.6 million.
Based on
preliminary results, the Company estimates that its fully-diluted earnings will
be between $0.38 and $0.41 per share for the quarter ended June 30,
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 that weather, further increases in
fuel costs and additional overruns in maintenance expenditures have impacted our
second quarter results, we know by experience that weather and maintenance costs
can shift quickly from quarter-to-quarter. We are pleased that recent
price increases have continued to generate growth in net revenue per
transport. Due to the severity of increases in fuel costs, the
Company has implemented another 6% price increase in gross charges for
community-based transports effective July 1, 2008. As a result of
over 1,000 patient transports lost to increased weather cancellations and the
higher fuel and maintenance costs during the first half of 2008, we believe our
ability to achieve growth in fully-diluted earnings per share for the full year
is improbable. However, we remain optimistic that moderating weather
and maintenance activities, combined with continued improvement in reimbursement
from recent price increases, will restore earnings growth in the
near-term. This expectation is also dependent upon fuel prices
remaining at current levels.”
The
Company will report financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2008
after the close of the market on Thursday, August 7, 2008. The
Company has scheduled a conference call for Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 4:15
p.m. Eastern to discuss the results of the quarter.
Interested
parties can access the call by dialing (888) 396-5640 (domestic) or (706)
643-0580 (international) or by accessing the web cast at www.airmethods.com. A
replay of the call will be available at (800) 642-1687 (domestic) or (706)
645-9291 (international), access number 55489810, for 3 days following the call
and the web cast can be accessed at www.airmethods.com
for 30 days.
Air
Methods Corporation (http://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.

| 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. |
CONTACTS: Aaron D.
Todd, Chief Executive Officer, (303) 792-7413. Please contact
Christine Clarke at (303) 792-7579 to be included on the Company’s fax and/or
mailing list.