In December 2014 Cornwall Air Ambulance will launch two new helicopters.
The new aircraft will bring significant enhancements in the service we are able to provide to the Cornish community, ensuring our patients get the best possible care when they need it most.
Why Are You Getting New Helicopters?
Just like with any other contract, our helicopter operations comes up for renewal periodically.
We identified that our new contract needed to provide us with an aircraft capable of flying longer hours, carrying more weight and flying further, whilst also providing good value for money for the charity and, in turn, our supporters.
In March 2013 following a competitive tender process, the trustees of Cornwall Air Ambulance signed a new helicopter contract with Medical Aviation Services, which will see them provide the service beginning on 7th December 2014.
The new contract means we can provide the best possible service to our patients, whilst ensuring prudent use of charity funds.
What Helicopters Will You Be Using?
The MD902 is an extremely versatile aircraft, used all over the world by all sorts of operators, including Police, National Park Authorities and several Air Ambulance operators.
It’s the same aircraft type already used by many of our colleagues around the UK, including London Air Ambulance, Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance, Essex and Herts Air Ambulance and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
The helicopters are powered by twin Pratt & Whitney engines and have a cruising speed of around 150 mph. Perhaps the most recognisable feature of the helicopter is its lack of a tail rotor. Instead this helicopter has what’s known as a NOTAR system, which uses an enclosed fan to replace the tail rotor, increasing safety and lowering noise levels.
Double Vision: Two Air Ambulance Helicopters for Cornwall
The most instantly noticeable change will be that from December 2014, Cornwall will have two air ambulance helicopters for the first time.
Having two air ambulance helicopters based locally will mean we have a dedicated backup aircraft available at all times, for use when one aircraft is offline for routine or unscheduled maintenance.
Currently, if our aircraft has to undergo unscheduled maintenance we have to wait for a standby aircraft to be delivered from elsewhere in the UK. Last year there were 13 occasions where we were unable to attend an incident because of unscheduled maintenance. Having the dedicated backup aircraft based in Cornwall – rather than 300 miles away – will help solve that problem.
We won’t be operating both helicopters at once – at least not yet. The helicopters will take it in turns in daily service so both are used on a regular basis.
A Light in the Dark: Night Time Flying
Perhaps the most significant change in terms of the service we can provide to our patients is that these new aircraft will be able to fly in the dark.
Until a recent change in aviation law, no air ambulance service in the UK has been able to fly in the dark, meaning, for example, that Cornwall Air Ambulance is currently unable to provide rescue cover during the evening rush hour in the winter. We currently fly around 12 hours a day in the summer but often fewer than 10 hours per day in the winter.
These new aircraft will be capable of flying in the hours of darkness, meaning we will be able to extend our operating hours. Initially we hope to operate 12 hours per day throughout the year, starting in early 2015.
We anticipate this increase in operating hours will allow the Air Ambulance to fly an average of an extra 50 missions per year. For those patients, this step change will make a very real difference.
Both helicopters will be fully equipped for night flight, with specially adapted cockpits, additional safety features, and a powerful searchlight (equivalent to 30 million candles!). Our pilot and paramedics will wear state-of-the-art Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) goggles which will allow them to see in almost total darkness.
The Other Benefits of the MD902
Being slightly more powerful than our current aircraft, the new helicopters will be able to carry more weight. This is vital as it will allow us to carry more specialist medical equipment, additional medical personnel like volunteer Critical Care Doctors, or additional fuel to fly further to specialist treatment centres such as the Bristol Children’s Hospital.
Internally, the MD902 gives our paramedics and their patients a little more elbow room. The cabin layout has been designed with input from the crew themselves, with their experience helping create the best possible treatment space.
Enhanced safety features such as the NOTAR system and a built-in liferaft will mean a safe environment for patients and crew, whilst more efficient engines will help to ensure prudent use of charity funds.
Recognisable, Iconic, Reassuring: The New Cornwall Air Ambulance Livery
The one request we heard time and again from our supporters was that we kept red as our main colour. We can reassure people that the iconic and reassuring sight of ‘Cornwall’s red and yellow lifesaving chopper’ remains constant in our skies, as red remains our primary colour.
Cornwall Air Ambulance receives no direct government funding and does not qualify for National Lottery support. For 27 years the people of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have remained steadfastly supportive of their air ambulance.
We wanted to reflect and celebrate the incredible support we receive from our donors in the livery of the new aircraft, so both helicopters will proudly display the St Piran’s flag, along with the words ‘Funded By The People of Cornwall’ in both English and Kernewek.
The aircraft registrations – G-CNWL and G-CIOS – will also recognise the community we serve in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.