New air ambulance a major milestone, bosses say

The purchase of a new helicopter set to go into service for Midlands Air Ambulance is a significant milestone in the charity's history, bosses say.

The H145 aircraft is the third one wholly owned by the service and is currently undergoing some final alterations before it can fly.

It will replace an older EC135 and be based at the charity's airbase at Tatenhill in Staffordshire.

The Shropshire-based charity said it had been bought with money donated by fundraisers and from the Denise Coates Foundation and The Kildare Trust.

Until now, the charity has owned two helicopters and leased a third, which has been in service for more than 18 years.

Hanna Sebright, its chief executive said "The purchase of our third wholly-owned aircraft is a significant milestone in our 33-year history."

The charity said the new helicopter had a fifth rotor blade, to ensure "an even smoother flight, making it more comfortable for patients in transit to hospital".

It also said the helicopter would be more fuel-efficient and had technology including external cameras to help it land in difficult locations.

The pilots set to fly it have been undergoing training in it since the start of December.

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