Press Release

Issued by Babcock MCS Onshore.

March 17, 2015

The third H145 (formerly EC145T2) to arrive in the UK was delivered to Bond Air Services this week, joining the only other two aircraft of this type in the country, which are both already at the company's Staverton headquarters.

The aircraft is the second of two H145 Bond Air Services will operate on behalf of the Scottish Ambulance Service. The Bond design and completion team at Gloucestershire Airport will equip both aircraft with the appropriate medical, NVIS and communication equipment to make them fully functioning air ambulances certified for both day and night HEMS across Scotland.

The aircraft will also be equipped to operate over water to enable the Scottish Ambulance Service to continue to reach island communities. Both aircraft are expected to begin operations with the Scottish Ambulance Service this summer.

The H145 is a medium class light twin-engine helicopter and an evolution of the existing EC145/BK117 family.

Bond Air Services managing director, Tim Shattock, said: “We now have all three of the UK's H145 aircraft at our headquarters where we are preparing them for helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) work and air ambulance operations. We will operate two of them on behalf of the Scottish Ambulance Service, and another is being prepared for operations with the East Anglian Air Ambulance charity. They are well suited for this specialist work, with twin engines giving them enhanced power and endurance, while the space inside gives medics flexibility for dealing with patients with all the required specialist medical equipment.”

Pauline Howie, chief executive, Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Our air ambulance service is vital to the people of Scotland and the new H145 (EC145T2) aircraft have been purpose built to meet the needs of our patients. They will ensure that we continue to maintain the highest service standards, with significant enhancements to patient care."