Airborne ambulance vehicles and their ground support units
G-BELF
Scottish Ambulance Service
Britten-Norman Islander
This plane operated as an air taxi in Germany. For five years it flew parachutists at Errol in Perthshire. It is painted in air ambulance livery in tribute to the role that Islanders played in the air ambulance role in Scotland.
G-PICU
Children’s Air Ambulance
AgustaWestland AW169
G-LNAC
Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance
Agusta Westland 169
T999 YAA
Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Vauxhall Vivaro
Carrying large photos of the aircraft and a personalised registration plate
G-YOAA
Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Airbus Helicopters H145
Taking off from a fundraising event
G-NHAC
Great North Air Ambulance
Eurocopter Dauphin AS365
It has a top speed of 170 mph and a flying time of three hours, making it possible to fly from Newcastle to Paris if ever required!
FX63 FVO
Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance
Vauxhall Vivaro
Promotional van
AE64 YBB
Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance
Skoda Octavia
G-LNAC
Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance
AgustaWestland 169
LG07 FOV
Association of Air Ambulances
BMW X5
Air Ambulance Critical Care Team
Demonstrator
Volvo V90
Air Ambulance Response Unit carrying artistic images of air ambulances
G-YAAC
Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Airbus H145
This air ambulance entered service at the start of September 2016. It will be joined by a second H145, G-YOAA, before the end of 2016.
The H145s replace two aging MD902 Explorers. The Explorers had seen unprecedented exposure in numerous series of BBC’s Helicopter Heroes. The first series of the programme was presented by Richard Hammond as his way of saying thank you to YAA for saving his life when he crashed while filming for Top Gear.
The new H145 is night-capable, enabling longer flying hours and not leaving medics grounded as soon as the sun sets. It is also fitted with a winch and FLIR camera to see heat rather than light.
WR15 MHZ Great Western Air Ambulance Smart ForFour used for promotional work
London’s Air Ambulance Skoda Octavia VRS providing a ground-based alternative to the helicopter in London. The cars are used when the helicopter is out of action or when weather prevents it flying. They are only used for the most serious medical emergencies.
The images show the sponsors and cameras mounted into the lights bars. The registrations and call signs are:
EK14 NXO [H01]
EF63 MLU [H02]
EK14 NXR [H03]
EK14 NXP [H04]
EK14 NXL, EK14 DGU London’s Air Ambulance Skoda Yeti. These two cars are used for non-emergency support work. They carry the same branding as the rapid response Skoda Octavias.
G-TAAS Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance Agusta Westland 109 operated by a company called ‘The Air Ambulance Service’
RE06 DPV A Honda CR-V that is used as a ground response vehicle for Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.
The rear view of the 2.2-litre engined 4×4 car.
G-NWEM This is the North West Air Ambulance in flight as pictured in 2011.
G-NDAA This MBB Bolkow 105 is part of the Great Western Air Ambulance. It has advertising on the sides for their “Don’t Bin it. Recycle it.” campaign. This is part of Melvyn’s Trust and the European Recycling Scheme. This helicopter also covers Devon.
G-WYPA is a MBB Bolkow. This is in the aviation service as a spare helicopter acting in both police and ambulance roles based in Gloucestershire Airport.
G-NWEM, also known as Helimed 72. This Eurocopter is from the Northwest Air Ambulance fleet. In this picture a member of the crew is leaving with an in-flight police helicopter in the background. This helicopter travels at high speed to get the latest medical equipment to casualties.
G-CEMS and G-SASH are the two Yorkshire Air Ambulances. It is unusual for them to be seen together as they are based in and cover different areas of Yorkshire. It is also unusual to see them at night, as they are not permitted to fly then. They are seen here under spotlights, on display as part of the tenth anniversary party of the service at York Racecourse. They flew back into normal operation the next morning.
G-LNAA is the Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.
G-TVAM is a MBB Bolkow BO105 helicopter which is seen here in service with Hampshire and Isle of White air ambulance service. It has previously seen service with Thames Valley & Chiltern.
G-HWAA, is a Eurocopter EC135T2 used by the Midland Air Ambulance.
BX05 XCE is a Rover 75 estate used by the medical team for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.
This is G-WMAS, a Eurocopter EC135T2, which is operated by Midlands (County) Air Ambulance covering Midlands counties.
This is G-SASH, one of the Yorkshire air ambulances. This wide-angle shot shows the carefully sculpted angle of the rotor blade. Also in the shot is a TV camera next to the skid. This is used for filming the BBC TV show Helicopter Heroes.
The BBC TV observer helps load the equipment onto the helicopter as the doctor and paramedic return to the craft before taking off to another emergency call.
G-SASA in flight, a Eurocopter EC-135T-1 based at Glasgow.
KN58 LNU is a Seat Leon that is used by Warwickshire and Northampton shire Air Ambulance. It carries a traditional green and yellow livery over the white bodywork.
The rear and side view of the Seat. The companies sponsoring the vehicle are listed on the side, as well as the charity’s helicopter logo. This car replaces a yellow version that can be seen below.
The Dorset and Somerset air ambulance (G-DORS). This Eurocopter EC 135 came into service in March 2007, replacing the previous aircraft that had been in service since the organisation’s inception in March 2000.
G-CEMS is the sister Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopter to G-SASH below. The MD902 Explorer is based at Sheffield City Heliport.
G-CEMS in flight. This helicopter can achieve a top speed of 145mph.
RA56 GRX is a Honda Accord Sport diesel used by Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. The car carries a half battenburg livery along with NHS and sponsor logos
The rear view of the Honda estate.
G-SASA is the sister helicopter to G-SASB below. It is also a Eurocopter EC135T and used by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
G-SASB is a yellow Eurocopter EC135T which is used by the Scottish Ambulance Service.
G-LNAA is the air ambulance for Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. It is a MD 902 Explorer and is based at RAF Waddington near Lincoln.
This is G-HEMS, a AS365N Dauphin helicopter that came into service with the Great North Air Ambulance Service in November 2006. It will be permanently stationed in the rugged terrain of Cumbria. Previously the helicopter was London’s air ambulance.
YS05 HFL This red Mercedes ML350 is used as a ground response vehicle by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance team. It carries a list of sponsors on the sides and is fitted with a winch on the front.
The rear view of the Merc. Notice the charity’s logo on the rear window and rear door windows.
YD55 HCV Although not really an emergency vehicle, this Mercedes Sprinter van used by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance looks very impressive. It has a photo-quality image of their helicopter on the sides as well as a city skyline around the skirt. It is sued for carrying bags of donated clothing etc.
This is G-EHMS, a MD 902 Explorer that has been the London Air Ambulance since 2000. The twin engined helicopter has permission to land anywhere to assist with serious medical emergencies. Here it has landed at a cordoned-off road junction. It can get specialist paramedics and doctors to the people who need them, and then transport the casualty to hospital at up to 140 kts.
G-WAAN This is a Great North Air Ambulance Bolkow 105 Eurocopter called the Pride of Cumbria. It is the first air ambulance to be based in the county and cover the mountainous Lake District National Park. Initially based at Appleby, then at Penrith police headquarters, the aircraft will be stationed at a custom-built base in the Gillwilly Industrial Estate, Penrith.
The Cumbria air ambulance had a difficult start. It was launched in August 2004 but was grounded in February 2005 due to a lack of funding. It was re-launched six month later.
G-SASH is the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. It is a MD902 Explorer and replaced G-PASG in July 2005. With the side door open you can see how a recumbent casualty is loaded onto a swiveling platform.
The side view of the Explorer. It is painted in a bright yellow colour with some sponsors’ adverts. It can take two paramedics to emergencies at up to 154 mph. In addition to the pilot and paramedics, it can carry a stretcher casualty plus two other seated passengers. Notice how the helicopter does not have a rear tail rotor, making it much safer when people are walking around it.
The aircraft lifting off. Because it does not have a tail rotor, the Explorer is one of the quietest aircraft of its kind.
This is G-NWAA, the air ambulance that covers the North West of England. In this photograph it has landed in moorland that is difficult to reach by ground vehicles.
G-WYPA in service with Wiltshire police and ambulance services in 2005. This aircraft was previously one of the Great North Air Ambulances (photos lower down the page). Prior to this it was new in 1989 as West Yorkshire’s police helicopter (hence the callsign).
The rear view of the Messerschmitt.
As the Great North Air Ambulance lifts off the ground the pilot encounters a moment of instability.
The same air ambulance in normal flight.
Here a contingent of air ambulance doctors and paramedics meet for a debrief after an exercise. They are easily identified in the field by their orange overalls.
A doctor leaps from G-GNAA, one of the Great North air ambulances, as it lands.
A closer look at the front of G-GNAA. It is an MD Explorer helicopter with a dark green a white livery.
Looking at the rear of the helicopter reveals why it is so suited to air ambulance work: it has no rear tail rotor. This makes it much safer for people to walk around the aircraft. The rotor is replaced with air forced at great speed out of a vent in the tail. This counteracts the spinning of the main rotors and keeps the helicopter stable.
Inside is small, but very tidy and clinical. The orange grab-bags can be seen.
Looking towards the rear of the craft from inside, you can see a seat for the paramedic or doctor caring for the patient on the stretcher. The monitor can also be seen.
The silhouetted view of the underside of the helicopter.
This red helicopter is G-BATC, a Welsh air ambulance.
This is G-NAAA, the North West Air Ambulance. It is based at Blackpool Airport.
Here the same aircraft is pictured with Millom & Walney Island Coastguard teams in a mud rescue exercise.
BG53 LVW This is a yellow Seat that is used by the South Midlands, Coventry an Warwickshire / Northamtonshire Princess Diana national air ambulance. It is used as an air ambulance support car. It is fitted with flashing blue lights and is in the same colour as the helicopter.
A Welsh air ambulance lands on a road closed by a collision. Other ambulance and police vehicles can be seen in the distance.
NV53 UEB This Peugeot van is one of a number of identically liveried support vehicles for the Great North Air Ambulances. It is commonly used for the collection of their charity bags.
The rear view, showing the eye-catching livery that closely matches that of the aircraft (shown below).
Here is the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance G-LNAA in use.
This is G-NAAS, one of the two great north air ambulances, which is based at Blyth, Northumberland.
This is G-WYPA, one of the two great north air ambulances, in flight. Re-liveried and re-launched in March 2003, this Messerschmitt Bolkow Bohlm is based at Teesside Airport. This is the only air ambulance outside of London to carry a specialist NHS doctor on board as well as a paramedic.
The side view of the helicopter in flight. This air ambulance used to be a police helicopter for West Yorkshire Police from 1989-2001. It was built in Germany and the chief police pilot at the time flew it from the factory to West Yorkshire.
A closer look at the livery of G-WYPA.
This picture shows the first livery of G-NAAS when it was sponsored by Barbour.
Another shot of its livery in the early 1990’s.
G-NAAS: The North East Air Ambulance. These photographs were taken in the early 1990s when the aircraft was based at Kitty Brewster Industrial Estate, Blyth. This air ambulance has seen numerous liveries since its introduction and covered the whole of the North East of England.
The same helicopter in flight.
A grounded G-NAAS.
Another view of G-NAAS
Another view of G-NAAS.
This photo shows the yellow ‘Automobile Association’ livery.
Here are a few pictures of G-NAAS, the Air Ambulance covering the North-East of England:
The cockpit.
A close up.
V43 GLD This is an air support unit Daewoo Matiz. It was donated so the air-paramedics can travel by road if the helicopter is unavailable.
This is G-PASG, a Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Still in it’s familiar yellow ‘AA’ livery (even though the sponsorship has ended) it has the same colour scheme as most of the air ambulances in the UK. It’s ‘PAS’ callsign is from its owners Police Aviation Services, now known as Specialist Aviation Services.
A patient who was thrown from a horse in the North York Moors has been airlifted to hospital. They are removed from the air ambulance on a stretcher and placed in a road ambulance for the short drive to the accident and emergency department.
The three-man crew of the helicopter prepare to take off to another emergency in West Yorkshire. While the pilot begins to start the engines, the two paramedics load the equipment into the back. The pilot is employed by the ambulance service but is not medically trained.
The stretcher is pushed through from the back of the helicopter so that the head appears next to the rear-seated paramedic. All of the same equipment found on a road ambulance is to hand, but in fewer numbers to keep the weight down.
The second paramedic makes one last check of the area prior to take-off. The rotors are almost at full-speed as the pilot radios air traffic control to request priority status for the emergency journey.
Immediately after taking-off the helicopter skims over the ground at only a few feet before rising almost vertically.
A rather scenic shot of the air ambulance as it makes haste towards the sun.
The Great North Air Ambulance (G-NAAS) in flight.
The air ambulance upon landing. The co-pilot helps the pilot to land safely.
As the paramedics emerge from the air ambulance, a Durham police officer greets them.