October 12, 2015 11.49 am This story is over 100 months old

Lincolnshire Air Ambulance to get bigger and faster helicopter

Bigger and faster: Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance is getting a new helicopter next summer.

Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance is getting a new helicopter next summer.

The AgustaWestland AW169 will replace the current MD902 Explorer, which is operated by the Specialist Aviation Services.

The new aircraft has a significantly larger cabin area, which will offer space for an additional person to be carried if required, such as a crew member, doctor, or relative of the patient.

The larger cabin of the AW169 will also give our medics improved 360 degree access to patients.

The AW169 is also able to fly faster and for longer than the current aircraft.

CEO Peter Aldrick confirmed the charity’s decision at Helitech International 2015, subject to satisfactory completion of contract negotiations.

CEO Peter Aldrick confirmed the charity’s decision at Helitech International 2015, subject to satisfactory completion of contract negotiations.

Peter Aldrich, CEO of the charity, said: “We plan to continue to enhance the services we are able to provide to the people of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. We introduced a night HEMS service with our very capable MD Explorer three years ago.

“We are now looking for our doctors and paramedics to be able to deal with a wider range of patient cases and we are very much looking forward to doing this with the new AW169.”

The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance first began operations in April 1994.

The non-government funded charity needs to raise £1.9 million every year to keep the helicopter flying and saving lives everyday. The air service operates approximately 3 missions per day, 1,000 missions per year. Each mission costs approximately £2,100.

With this upgraded helicopter in 2016 and the provision for additional doctors on board, the charity estimates the annual operational costs will increase to around £2.2 million.