Air Ambulances in the United Kingdom

There are a number of air ambulance services in the United Kingdom using either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. Thirty helicopters, all operated by charitable organizations, cover England and Wales. Two helicopters and fixed wing aircraft are operated by the Scottish Ambulance Service.[1] Funds are currently being sought to enable a similar service to be operated in Ireland and Northern Ireland.[2]

Incidents
Scottish Ambulance Service EC-135 G-SASA

On 26 July 1998, the three man crew of the Kent Air Ambulance died when the aircraft collided with power lines and crashed in a field in Burham, near Rochester airport.[3][4] Initial investigation established no definitive cause for the crash, due to the fireball produced on impact. Controversy ensued when the pilot's employers, Police Aviation Services, denied liability. On 19 February 2004, following a civil case brought by the pilot's widow to the High Court in Manchester, it ruled that the crash was caused by mechanical failure, not as suggested flying low for fun, and ordered compensation to be paid.[5]

On 15 March 2005, a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft operated by Loganair crashed into the sea while descending toward Campbeltown Airport in western Scotland. The aircraft was operating an air ambulance flight on behalf of the Scottish Ambulance Service. The pilot and paramedic both died in the crash.[6]

List of Air Ambulances in the United Kingdom
Service Areas served Radio call-sign Aircraft Photo
Cornwall Air Ambulance Cornwall Helimed 1 EC 135 [1]
Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance Derbyshire - Leicestershire - Rutland Helimed 54 A109E [2]
Devon Air Ambulance Trust Devon Helimed 4
Helimed 72 2 x EC 135 [3]
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Dorset - Somerset Helimed 10 EC 135 [4]
East Anglian Air Ambulance Bedfordshire - Cambridgeshire - Norfolk - Suffolk Anglia 1
Anglia 2 2 x BK-117 [5]
Essex Air Ambulance Essex Helimed 7 EC 135 [6]
Great North Air Ambulance Cumbria - Tees Valley - Durham - Northumberland - North Yorkshire - Tyne and Wear Helimed 20
Helimed 58
Helimed 63 BK-105
AS-365
MD-900 [7]
Great Western Air Ambulance Bristol - Gloucestershire - Avon - North Somerset - Wiltshire Helimed 65 EC-135 [8]
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance Hampshire - Isle of Wight Helimed 56 BK-105 [9]
Hertfordshire Air Ambulance Hertfordshire Helimed 55 MD-900 [10]
Ireland Air Ambulance
(due to commence Summer 2009) Republic of Ireland - Northern Ireland
Kent Air Ambulance Kent Helimed 21 MD-900 [11]
Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance Lincolnshire - Nottinghamshire Helimed 59 MD-900 [12]
London Air Ambulance (HEMS) London Helimed 27 MD-900 [13]
Midlands Air Ambulance Herefordshire - Shropshire - Staffordshire - West Midlands - Worcestershire Helimed 3
Helimed 6
Helimed 9 3 x EC 135 [14]
North West Air Ambulance Cheshire - Cumbria - Lancashire - Greater Manchester - Merseyside Helimed 8 EC-135 [15]
Scottish Air Ambulance Scotland Helimed 2
Helimed 5
Gama xxx
Gama xxx 2 x EC-135
2 x 200C [16]
[17]
Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance East Sussex - Surrey - West Sussex Helimed 60 MD-900 [18]
Sussex Police Air Operations Unit East Sussex - West Sussex Hotel 900 MD-902 [19]
Thames Valley Air Ambulance Berkshire - Buckinghamshire - Oxfordshire Helimed 24 EC 135 [20]
Wales Air Ambulance Wales Helimed 57
Helimed 59
Helimed 61 1 x EC 135
2 x BK-105 [21]
Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Warwickshire - Northamptonshire Helimed 53 A109E [22]
Wiltshire Air Ambulance Wiltshire Whisky Hotel 99 MD-902 [23]
Yorkshire Air Ambulance East Riding of Yorkshire - North Yorkshire - South Yorkshire - West Yorkshire Helimed 98
Helimed 99 2 x MD-900 [24]