UK Air Ambulance Service benefits from two new Leonardo AW109 SPs
They will be flown by Sloane Helicopters on behalf of The Air Ambulance Service – the local air ambulance provider for Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland
The critical, lifesaving work of The Air Ambulance Service (TAAS) will be enhanced through the launch of the two new helicopters, which will enable the charity to continue its important work in supporting the NHS frontline across the Midlands. The launch represents a substantial investment of more than £30 million by the charity over the next seven years and is the culmination of an 18-month project to modernise and replace the Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA), and Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA).
AW109s replace the GrandNew
Following an exhaustive tender process to determine which helicopters would best meet the needs of clinicians and patients, TAAS opted for a like-for-like replacement in Leonardo’s latest AW109 GrandNew to replace the ageing fleet.
The new AW109 derivative was chosen for its proven performance as the world’s fastest commercial twin-engine helicopter but also its ability to start up and shut down engines in a much shorter time than many of its competitors. These seconds and minutes saved can often be vital in terms of the delivery of lifesaving critical care medicine to patients.
Enhanced technology and navigation, and an increase in weight-carrying capability, were also key factors in selecting the AW109, said TAAS. Being able to carry four crew and a patient ensures the charity will be able to support the NHS by offering training opportunities for Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) doctors.
The new helicopters, which will be crewed by a pilot, doctor and critical care paramedic, offer an improved clinical area for the crews to work in while caring for a patient, which includes a new syringe pump system as well as better storage solutions for vital lifesaving equipment such as a defibrillator, ventilator, ultrasound and other vital medical equipment.
TAAS Director of Operations Richard Clayton, who led the project team, said: “What a monumental day for the charity. It’s been a complex project over the past 18 months, especially given the global pandemic, but now the exciting work really starts.
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