25th February 2010

The team at local charity, Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) are celebrating the New Year in style with a fantastic new life saving helicopter. The state-of-the-art helicopter will be unveiled at two special events in the regions it serves, at Althorpe House in Northamptonshire and the world famous The Belfry in Warwickshire, both on Friday 22nd January.

Andy Williamson, Chief Executive commented, “We are obviously very excited from an operational perspective to be getting a brand new aircraft. The WNAA team are continuously driven by providing the best possible care to our patients and this will help us to provide the best possible service and care.”

The new helicopter is an Agusta 109 Power; with a cruise speed just short of 200mph, the fastest civilian helicopter available. This will enable WNAA to quickly provide vital medical care on the scene often meaning the difference between life and death. The aircraft has the capability for a rapid start and shut-down sequence and can be airborne in about 45 seconds where some services can take around two minutes to warm up and the same to shut down.

The new aircraft will increase reliability and host an all new patient monitoring system and enhanced Lifeport Stretcher System. This is a new generation stretcher structure which automatically rotates and glides out of the aircraft door, reducing lifting and handling and improving patient comfort. It will also be fitted with full all weather capability instruments to enable the crew to fly in bad weather.

Andy continued “After seven years of service the old helicopter has flown over 3,400 flying hours and like any machinery it gets tired, repairs increase and it needs renewing. The new helicopter will greatly improve reliability and reduce maintenance and downtime.”

“The helicopter is leased from Sloane Helicopters as part of an ongoing lease agreement. This enables WNAA to have the most up to date technology ultimately benefitting the patient, by carrying a bespoke state- of-the-art medical refit and all the latest radio equipment.”

Since launching the charity in 2003 over 8,200 missions have been attended by the well loved helicopter and crew are operational during daylight hours, seven days a week. They rapidly respond to emergency 999 calls saving people who live, work or travel through our regions and beyond when needed. It currently serves a population of 1.2 million people across 2,200 square miles of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.

WNAA is one of the busiest air ambulances in the UK and attends 100 call outs per month on average this equates to around four calls a day; however, in peak times such as the summer they can attend 150 call outs per month.

See also:

http://www.itv.com/anglia/new-air-ambulance77758/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/northampton/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8475...

http://www.rugbytoday.co.uk/news/Air-Ambulance-launch-new-helicopter.601...

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/New-air-ambulance-is-a.6007565.jp