Nottinghamshire’s new £6.6 million air ambulance has started flying its first missions – and can get anywhere in the county in less than 20 minutes.
The Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance charity officially launched its new AgustaWestland 169 helicopter on Tuesday after more than a year of planning and a long fundraising appeal.
With a maximum top speed of 190mph – 30mph faster than its predecessor – the helicopter can get to patients in a shorter time and anywhere within the two counties within 20 minutes.
It was unveiled at its RAF Waddington base in Lincolnshire and will carry out an average of three life-saving missions a day, taking patients to hospitals including the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospitals in less than eight minutes.
Karen Jobling, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Excellent patient care is at the heart of everything we do. The combination of speed, endurance, and technology of the AW169 will be of huge benefit to our patients, giving them the very best chance of survival in possibly their greatest hour of need.
“We are proud to say that our Charity saves lives every day, and with this new aircraft we can continue doing so for many years to come.”
The charity has no direct Government funding so relies mainly on donations to cover its average annual operating costs of £2.5 million.
The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance has been operational for more than 23 years and has responded to more than 18,200 of the most serious and time-critical 999 calls.
It deals with emergencies including traffic collisions, cardiac arrests, sporting and farming incidents and falls.
The new helicopter – known as the Ambucopter – replaces the old MD902 explorer model.
Besides being faster, the new model is also larger, meaning medics can get 360 degrees around a patient inside to better treat them.