Wales Air Ambulance unveils new aircraft

Wales Air Ambulance Charity (WAAC) in the UK has presented its new aircraft and rapid response vehicles (RRVs) for the first time.

In 2022, the charity underwent a rebrand and now the public can see the new aircraft which carries this new design. Both the aircraft and rapid response vehicles have a strong Welsh identity, with a bold red color and distinctive green dragon’s tail that matches the charity’s new logo. The design also includes contour lines, which are green on the aircraft and yellow (high-vis material) on the RRVs.

During the summer, supporters were given the opportunity to name the helicopter. They took part in an online vote to choose their preferred aircraft registration from a list of five options. The winner was G-LOYW, which means ‘bright’ or ‘shining’ in Welsh.

Dr Sue Barnes, WAAC Chief Executive, said: “Whenever we survey our supporters, the charity’s strong Welsh identity is always highlighted as a source of pride. It’s important that the passion for our nation is visible through the vehicles that we use, both in terms of their design and the Welsh language registrations for our helicopters.

“Both the helicopters and cars are funded by the people of Wales, so it is incredibly important to us that they reflect the country and communities that we serve.”

Earlier this year, WAAC announced that Gama Aviation had successfully bid for a seven-year aviation contract, which covers the operation and maintenance of a primary fleet of four Airbus H145 helicopters. Currently, the service has three H145 helicopters and one smaller H135 helicopter. As part of the new contract, the H135 aircraft will be upgraded to a H145.