Massive fundraising venture sees second air ambulance lift off
All the final test flights are now complete and supporters cheered as the whirl of the rotary blades signified the start of operational work for Cornwall Air Ambulance’s second helicopter.
Breaktime News followed the fundraising venture for the new aircraft which arrived at the charity’s Newquay airbase four weeks ago.
The new helicopter going into operation follows the 18-month-long Heli2 Appeal, which successfully raised £2.85million towards the second AW169 aircraft for the charity thanks to the support of many people.
‘This momentous milestone would not have been possible without the generous support of the people of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and beyond,’ says Tim Bunting, Chief Executive of Cornwall Air Ambulance.
‘To every single person who donated, took on a challenge, held an event, bought our charity album, or however you got involved with the appeal, thank you for joining the Heli2 mission.’
‘Because of you, we can attend more of our missions by air with your second AW169 helicopter. Thank you for helping us to save even more lives for years to come.’
The past few weeks has seen the helicopter go through a period of final ‘shakedown’ testing to make sure everything is working correctly.
‘It provides the clinical crew with plenty of space in the rear cabin’
‘The new aircraft is the next generation of the existing AW169, with the latest technological advancements and software,’ says Adam Smith the Unit’s Chief Pilot.
‘It allows us to reach the scene quickly, wherever that might be across Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly, and deliver the highly skilled clinical team to the patient’s side.’
‘The large fuel capacity and lifting capabilities make it a great aircraft for back-to-back missions, and making sure we can convey to the best suited hospital for a patient’s onward care.’
Image: Andy Holter Photography (provided by CAA)
‘Importantly, owning a second AW169 increases our aircraft availability across our 365-day-a-year service, enabling us to attend more missions by air.’
The helicopter is an AW169 was manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters in Italy. It’s the same model as the charity’s current aircraft but with all the latest performance upgrades.
Other new features also include a built-in weather radar, increased main battery and a rear mounted searchlight. The aircraft went officially into service at the start of the week. It’ll be in regular rotation with the existing helicopter for the charity’s missions.
‘The AW169 is a great aircraft for our service as it provides the clinical crew with plenty of space in the rear cabin,’ says Steve Garvey, Air Operations’ Officer.
‘This allows for the safe transportation of all our advanced medical equipment to scene, as well as plenty of room for the attending clinician to monitor and treat the patient, with almost 360-degree access around them, during flight on route to hospital.’
‘The best possible helicopter’
‘Owning this second aircraft unlocks further clinical opportunities for us, by enabling us to always respond to medical emergencies on the best possible helicopter and provide the very best service for all our patients.’
Cornwall Air Ambulance is tasked to cover more than 1,000 missions annually and the charity says it needs to raise more than £8million this year to keep the service running.
