Civilian Aviation

With CA forum members from across the British Isles and Europe it's likely that our 'local patch' is covered by one of the many Air Ambulance organisations.

It would be grerat to see the variety and geographic coverage the CA forum has.

I'll start things off with my local area, Dorset & Somerset where we've had a dedicated Air Ambulance since 2000.

Our first helicopter was this Bolkow Bo-105, G-NAAB. The yellow colour scheme shows the original sponsorship, like a number of Air Ambulance Trusts, from the AA.
Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Bolkow Bo-105 DBS-4 G-NAAB by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

The Bo-105 was upgraded to a Eurocopter EC135 in 2007, G-DORS
Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Eurocopter EC135 T2 G-DORS by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr

In 2017 the UK set up Major Trauma Units and with none in Dorset or Somerset, transit times increased significantly and it was decided that the crew would need a Trauma Doctor in addition to the paramedics. This brought about the procurement of the larger Agusta-Westland AW169, G-DSAA 'Pegasus'.
Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Agusta-Westland AW169 G-DSAA 'Pegasus' by Neil D. Brant, on Flickr
The AW-169 operates with the undercarriage extended and these pads fitted, I guess to stop it sinking in to the gert lush Somerset turf.

There's alot of overlap in these parts between the Air Ambulance Trusts and we regularly see the Wiltshire Bell 429, Devon EC135 and Great Western EC135.

Let's see those from your area.

Neil

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Scotland currently has two air ambulance services, one, 'Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance' is funded by charitable donations, while the other is provided by the 'Scottish Ambulance Service'. Air ambulance missions, in Scotland, date back to November 1933.

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'Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance', based at Perth Airport ;

First airframe, G-CDBS, received May 2013.

MBB Bo105, G-CDBS, Helimed 76, Bond Air Services for SCAA @ Muthill, 6 August 2015 by Phillip Hapka, on Flickr

G-SCAA, received November 2015, the replacement airframe for G-CDBS.

EC135-T2+, G-SCAA, Helimed 76, Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore - for SCAA @ Scone, 29 December 2015 by Phillip Hapka, on Flickr

G-WASS, a typical stand-in airframe for G-SCAA.

EC135 T2+, G-WASS, Helimed 76, Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore - for SCAA @ Crieff, 02 January 2019 by Phillip Hapka, on Flickr

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'Scottish Ambulance Service', based at Glasgow and for other periods at Renfrew, Dundee, Inverness, Prestwick, Aberdeen, Kirkwall & Lerwick ;

Here are a couple from the mid 1990s

BN2B Islander, G-BPCA, BRA (Scotland) Ltd for Scottish Ambulance Service @ RAF Leuchars, 16 September 1994. by Phillip Hapka, on Flickr

Bö-105, G-BUTN, Helimed 5, Bond for Scottish Ambulance Service @ RAF Leuchars, 16 September 1994. by Phillip Hapka, on Flickr

Current 'Scottish Ambulance Service' fixed wing aircraft are King Air 200Cs, G-SASC & G-SASD and helicopters are EC145s, G-SASN & G-SASS

'

We get alot of air ambulances OTT going into The Royal Stoke University Hospital Trauma unit.
Being to the west many are from Wales with some from the North West and sometimes a Coastguard Sikorsky.
1
IMG_0202 by jastr435, on Flickr

2
_J9A1056a by jastr435, on Flickr

3
484A0047 by jastr435, on Flickr

4
_J9A1164a by jastr435, on Flickr

5
_J9A2655 by jastr435, on Flickr

6
IMG_0070 by jastr435, on Flickr

Here in Buckinghamshire we get Thames Valley Air Ambulance and occasionally London Air Ambulance

G-TVAL Airbus Helicopters H135 of Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore/Thames Valley Air Ambulance
G-TVAL High Wycombe 27 May 2018 by ACW367, on Flickr

G-EHMS MD Helicopters MD 902 Explorer London Air Ambulance
G-EHMS Northolt 8 October 2015 by ACW367, on Flickr

ACW367

We seem to get quite a variety of air ambulances in Bedfordshire.

These first three were all taken at the school field that's used as a landing site for Luton & Dunstable Hospital:

G-KSSH
1998 McDonnell Douglas MD900 Explorer
Kent, Sussex & Surrey Air Ambulance
30/10/2014 - Lewsey Road, Luton.


G-HAAT
2000 MD Helicopter MD900 Explorer
Hertfordshire Air Ambulance
10/02/2015 - Lewsey Road, Luton.


G-HEMC
2014 Airbus Helicopters EC145
East Anglian Air Ambulance
12/07/2015 - Lewsey Road, Luton.



The old and new RAF Wyton-based Magpas Helimedix air ambulances:

G-HMDX
2007 MD Helicopter MD900 Explorer
25/01/2014 - Attending an incident at a care home in Marsh Farm, Luton.


G-MGPS
2018 Leonardo AW169
13/07/2019 - In Bedford Park for an incident at Bedford prison.



And a couple of bonus airshow shots:

G-RSCU
2009 Agusta A109E
Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance
22/08/2010 - Sywell Airshow


G-HBOB
2008 Eurocopter EC135 T2+
Thames Valley Air Ambulance
06/05/2012 - Abingdon


Oz

Air Ambulance G-RSCU (Agusta A109E Power) about to land at the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance facility opposite RAF Waddington. Picture taken from the carpark at the WAVE just before The Reds performed a practice display over Waddington. Friday 13 August 2021 at 15:27.

London Air Ambulance's new H135s G-LAAA & G-LAAB were both in their hangars at last week's Northolt Nightshoot...
London Air Ambulance H135 | G-LAAB by Professor M, on Flickr

G-NICU AW169 at Humberside 01.03.2024.


G-HEMZ A109. at Humberside 28.07.2017.


G-KSSH MD900 at Humberside 28.10.2018.


F-HSIF H145 at Poitiers Hospital France 01.07.2024.

G-LNAA MD900 at Humberside 12.08.2014.

G-LNCT MD900 at Waddington 19.02.2014.

F-HLNO H135 at Poitiers hospital France 21.03.2025.

Cornwall ( first ) Air Ambulance began operating in 1987 and was funded by charitable donations mainly from the residents of Cornwall who bought scratch cards on a weekly basis.

First helicopter operated being a Bolkow Bo.105 that operated from 1987 until 2001.
1987-10-01-001FN G-AZTI by Stephen Rendle, on Flickr

In 2001 the Eurocopter EC135 replaced the aging Bolkow.
2008-06-16-003FD G-KRNW by Stephen Rendle, on Flickr

In 2014 the EC135 was replaced by two MD902 helicopters.
2015-04-08-013FD G-SASO by Stephen Rendle, on Flickr

2016-10-06-005FD G-CIOS by Stephen Rendle, on Flickr

2016-07-26-002FD G-CNWL by Stephen Rendle, on Flickr

In 2020 the MD902's were replaced with a single Leonardo AW169. A second AW169 will join the fleet in 2025. The second AW169 is being bought with donations ( £2.5 million ) raised again mainly by Cornish residents.

2020-03-03-004FD G-CRWL by Stephen Rendle, on Flickr

welcome back Stephen and nice pics. That has prompted me to post a couple from the recent Northolt Nightshoot, a couple in the London Air Ambulance hangar which literally opened it'd doors for us! One of each of their EC-135s, G-LAAA and G-LAAB....

G-LAAA EC-135 London Air Ambulance Northolt 06-03-2025 4880 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

G-LAAB EC-135 London Air Ambulance Northolt 06-03-2025 4883 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr

Andy

G-TAAS on very soft ground in Abington Park, Northampton waiting for a patient.
G-TAAS by Ian Pursey, on Flickr

Aberdeen Based Scottish charity air ambulance EC135 T2+ G-EMAA
G-EMAA ABZ 24.9.21 by Mike stanners, on Flickr
Scottish Ambulance Service EC135T2+ G-SASA At Glasgow heliport 18/5/2008
G-SASA,,Glasgow,18.5.2008, by Mike stanners, on Flickr

G-CPTZ Children's Air Ambulance heading North from Southampton over Banbury


Aw139