Boston MedFlight has added a new jet to its fleet in hopes of providing transport to far-flung places such as Martha’s Vineyard in harsh weather conditions.

The nonprofit, which has been providing medical flights for Islanders in need of critical care for decades, introduced its new Cessna Citation CJ4 airplane last month and it has already made six flights to the Vineyard.

Though Boston MedFlight’s helicopters operate in both clear and cloudy conditions, the jet is better equipped to handle the Island’s icy winters.

“We are excited to have the CJ4 in service,” Maura Hughes, Boston MedFlight’s chief executive officer, said. “While the majority of Boston MedFlight patient transports are done by helicopter and critical care ground ambulance, having an airplane asset represents an essential resource to expand our capabilities to and from longer distance hospitals and when weather conditions dictate.”

Boston MedFlight was formed as a nonprofit by a consortium of hospitals and began transporting patients across the state by helicopter in 1985.

The organization transports about 400 patients from the Vineyard each year, often coming to the Island more than once a day in the summer. It provides more than $1 million in unreimbursed care and transport to Vineyard residents each year, according to Rick Kenin, the chief operating officer of transport.

Patients flown from the Vineyard by jet are taken by ambulance to Martha’s Vineyard Airport where the plane lands and takes off. The jet enables a team of medical professionals to provide ICU-level care on flights up to about 1,500 miles and has room for a family member or escort to accompany the patient.

Boston MedFlight first added jets to the fleet a little over 20 years ago so it could provide service to people living on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket – where weather conditions can make it challenging and sometimes impossible to fly helicopters.

“We started doing fixed-wing, or airplane, transport primarily because there was no other way to get to the islands in the winter,” Mr. Kenin said.

In recent years the nonprofit has only had helicopters and ground ambulances, and Mr. Kenin said he was glad to have a jet back in the mix.