Midlands Air Ambulance Charity has taken delivery of a new H145 D3 at Airbus UK’s Oxford headquarters. The new aircraft, which will replace the charity’s leased EC135, was delivered for completion, including a full EMS fit-out to Oxford from Airbus’s Donauwörth facility in July, making it one of the first aircraft to be completed at the new Airbus UK facility.
The aircraft will operated by Midlands Air Ambulance Charity’s aviation partner, Babcock Mission Critical Onshore Services, where it will be used for pilot training before entering service at the charity’s Tatenhill base covering Staffordshire and surrounding areas early in 2025.
The purchase means Midlands Air Ambulance Charity will own all three operational helicopters (the other two being an H145 T2 and an EC135) that cover advanced patient care across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, the West Midlands and Worcestershire. The EC135 it replaces was leased in from Babcock Mission Critical Onshore Services.
Hanna Sebright, Chief Executive for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, explained why the lifesaving service has invested in the new helicopter: “As a charity which relies entirely on donations to fund our daily missions, the purchase of our third wholly owned aircraft is a significant milestone in our 33-year history. Our mission is to provide the very best advanced pre-hospital emergency care to patients across the six counties we serve. As part of this commitment, we have invested in a brand new H145 helicopter, which will further support our ability to rapidly reach patients in critical need of our help well into the future.”
Meanwhile, Lenny Brown MBE, Managing Director for Airbus Helicopters in the UK, added: “We greatly appreciate the loyalty of our long-standing customer Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. The H145 has established itself as the clear helicopter of choice for air ambulance operators outside London. Its superior performance, optimal size and exceptional reliability will provide outstanding value for money to the charity’s donors and all the people that it serves.”
Image: MAAC
