Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter receives new Airbus H145
The aircraft has undergone an 18-month development process to install advanced technology and equipment
The Waikato, King Country and Coromandel region in New Zealand has received the newest addition to its Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter operations family: a new Airbus H145 twin-engine helicopter.
The state-of-the-art aircraft, valued at NZ$18 million, has undergone an 18-month development process installing advanced technology and equipment. It will be set to start its service in October 2023.
The new H145 rescue helicopter is equipped with advanced autopilot capabilities and avionics. For example, the helicopter’s flight control system can take over several manual tasks that were previously operated by the pilot, enabling the helicopter to fly predefined and customised routes accurately. This significantly reduces the pilot’s workload, meaning they can concentrate on critical tasks.
With its advanced autopilot system, the H145 will also have increased capability to fly in poor weather conditions. Pilots are then able to navigate through poor visibility with ease, allowing rescue teams to attend to missions in weather conditions that were previously considered unsuitable.
The H145 also has skids that make it easier to land on rough or uneven terrain. Skids allow a helicopter to land on surfaces that would be difficult to manoeuvre on with wheels, such as rocky or muddy terrain.
It also has an increased amount of space in the cabin. This H145 rescue helicopter has been designed with a three-seat configuration in the back, which has enabled the creation of a center console between two of the seats. This unique addition will provide the critical care flight paramedic with easy-to-reach medical equipment, making the emergency response process even more efficient. The center console addition is exclusive to this helicopter and is the only aircraft in New Zealand that features this innovative design.
“We have highly skilled pilots and specially trained crew and paramedics to carry out the latest aviation and medical technology. This specialist aircraft will give clinical staff more room to provide vital patient care and better patient outcomes,” said Chris Moody, Chief Operating Officer for Waikato Westpac Rescue Helicopter.