From long‑range fixed‑wing repatriation to helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) support at high‑profile events, Gama Aviation is broadening both its mission set and geographic reach.

Recent acquisitions, new aircraft orders, and renewed national contracts signal a strategy built on scale, resilience, and specialist expertise. As Gama Aviation prepares to introduce next‑generation platforms and extend its international footprint, the company is positioning itself for a new phase of growth across the air medical and emergency response sector.

Aircraft

Gama Aviation’s UK fixed-wing air ambulance operations encompass a fleet of seven King Air 200s, stationed at bases in Bristol, Bournemouth, and Glasgow. This core fleet is used primarily to conduct long-distance medical repatriation.

The rotary-wing fleet is composed of eight Airbus H145 D2s, of which three are in the process of being upgraded to the D3 types. The Leonardo AW169 fleet spans five aircraft, with a further delivery expected early in 2025.

Both aircraft fleets contain limited backup availability on the King Air 200, H145 D2, and AW169, which is sold to support air ambulance and HEMS operators on an ad hoc basis or to support events.

Duncan Daines, Group Head of Engagement at Gama Aviation, explained: “A good example of this has been the work that we have undertaken with Silverstone this year (2025), to provide air ambulance services for FIA [International Automobile Federation] events at the racetrack.”

Silverstone is a motor racing circuit located in Northamptonshire, which is home to the British Grand Prix, and also hosts the UK round of the MotoGP motorcycle racing tournament.

Beyond this, Daines added that Gama Aviation was looking to expand its fleet further in the near future: “A new Airbus H145 D3 arrived prior to Christmas and is now in Staverton [Gloucester Airport] awaiting embodiment. We have three King Air 360Cs and two further Airbus H145 D3s arriving in 2026.”

The new King Air 360Cs will be green aircraft that are embodied by Gama Aviation, featuring a new bariatric patient lift and bespoke cabin interior. The D3s will be fitted with an Aerolite interior, alongside additional Gama Aviation modifications to suit the aircraft’s mission.

On board its aircraft, Gama Aviation carries a range of “standard intensive care unit (ICU) kit for all doctor jobs with a smaller kit for nurse or paramedic-only jobs,” added Dr Simon Forrington, Gama Aviation’s Medical Director.

The company also placed an order for three more AW169s, likely in emergency medical services (EMS) configuration, at the 2025 Verticon trade show in Dallas, Texas. The AW169 EVO (its internal Gama Aviation reference) is an enhanced 5,100kg maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) with skids rather than the traditional AW169 wheeled gear. The additional MTOW will see the AW169 EVO emerge as a significantly capable EMS machine for intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) transfers as well as more traditional HEMS missions.

Gama Aviation, in partnership with Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, is developing a new multi-modal patient loading system, which will be available for the standard and 5,100kg skidded EVO version of the AW169.

Clinical team

Gama Aviation’s UK operations are delivered by “a team of 10 permanent medical staff, alongside a large bank of doctors and nurses, all of whom work within the National Health Service (NHS) to keep their skill sets current,” explained Dr Forrington. “Staff are usually recruited from the NHS, and permanent staff all have time each month in an NHS role.”

Dr Forrington explained that training was critical for all clinical and medical crew employed by the company. When initially recruited, “all [medical] staff have a three-day induction course”.

He added that, beyond this, staff were also required to perform regular continuing professional development (CPD) training, overseen by the Chief Medical Officer.

Capital Air Ambulance acquisition

Gama Aviation’s presence in Bristol is the result of its acquisition of Capital Air Ambulance in June 2025, which saw the aviation provider’s medical and flight teams merged into Gama Aviation’s Special Mission strategic business unit. At the time of the purchase, Mark Smith, Managing Director for Special Mission at Gama Aviation, said that “strategically, [it] allows us to achieve two complementary goals: one, grow our share of the repatriation market, and two, enhance the productivity of our air ambulance fleet.” Purchasing Capital, he added, achieved both in a short timescale.

It allows us to achieve two complementary goals: one, grow our share of the repatriation market, and two, enhance the productivity of our air ambulance fleet

Lisa Humphries, Business Development Director at Gama Aviation and one of the Founders of Capital Air Ambulance, said that from Capital’s perspective, post-acquisition, the aim was to “expand [its] reach with longer-range aircraft to complement the King Airs”.

Alongside this, she added, being part of a larger organization afforded Capital a higher level of flexibility in how aircraft were dispatched.

Missions

One of Gama Aviation’s major UK contracts in the air ambulance sector is serving as the operations partner for ScotSTAR, the air medical program of the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).

Gama Aviation’s provision of services to the SAS has been renewed under a new ScotSTAR contract, awarded by SAS in mid- 2024, which is due to begin in 2026.

Under the terms of the new contract, Gama Aviation will supply a new fleet of aircraft to the service – including two new King Air 360 fixed-wing aircraft, and two Airbus H145 D3 helicopters, to be based in Aberdeen, Glasgow, and Inverness. Both aircraft types will benefit from an additional backup aircraft that is configured to the same standard, allowing the primary and backup aircraft to be used interchangeably.

The new aircraft are expected to substantially improve the service’s range and endurance, as well as offer better support to bariatric patients, and improved operations in poor weather.

The aim of the improvements is to ensure better air medical coverage for those in Scotland’s more rural and remote areas.

Maintenance

Gama Aviation also provides a range of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, with a facility at Gloucester Airport serving as its primary service center for the Leonardo AW139, AW169, and also the Airbus H145. This includes maintenance, mission systems design, a paint facility (up to and including AW139- sized aircraft) and embodiment.

MRO clients served from the facility include operators in the air ambulance, oil and gas, law enforcement, and VIP charter sectors.

The facility was acquired by Gama Aviation in 2024, following its takeover of Specialist Aviation Services, an MRO provider that offered services to a number of HEMS providers across the UK, including Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

At the time of the acquisition, Gama Aviation released a statement saying that the purchase was “consistent with the Group’s strategy to grow its special mission business”.

The future

Looking to the future, Humphries explained that Gama Aviation was hoping to push forward with a rapid expansion in its operations – both within the UK and its territories, as well as internationally.

Expansion plans include bringing new aircraft online and expanding the number and type of missions we undertake

This includes “continued collaboration with the Channel Islands and an expansion of our international repatriation work,” she said. Additionally: “Expansion plans include bringing new aircraft online and expanding the number and type of missions we undertake, including to a larger geographical area.”