Just what East Anglia needs....

[flyingsniffer]

....another Air Ambulance helicopter.

BBC News - Magpas medical charity to get own helicopter (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17739318)

I presume day time only (a few weasly words in there from the CEO about night time cover but the inference is clear), so does the region really need this resource? What does MAGPAS offer that the existing air ambulance charities don't?

[Gene Genie]

Not wishing to start a bun fight, but I heard about a large yellow publicly funded helicopter at a nearby AAC base. Apparently they have a large cabin, some HPC registered paramedics amongst its crews and respond to life threatening accidents day or night.

It's just a rumour though..,

[Hompy]

You've just opened Genie.

But IMHO about to be civilianised undermanned maritime SAR trained professionals in a big and slow Sea King, although more than capable, are probably not best placed to respond to A12/A14 RTAs........standby

[FlyerFoto]

I have a feeling that this could be the one that had a fund raising stand in the entrance to my local Tesco - I couldn't remember the name, but this sounds familiar.....

[zigandzag]

yes, i believe!

[sarbird]

Same guys selling their lottery tickets outside Asda! Guy kept pushing the fact that the RAF SAR helo from RAF Wyton would be flying the MAGPAS medics until they get their own aircraft although he didn't know when or what that type would be. Was very insistent though the RAF SAR helo was based at Wyton:ugh:

[Aynayda Pizaqvick]

Talk about opening a can of worms Hompy...
I think you'll find that RAF SAR crews in big slow yellow Sea Kings are equally well trained in the Maritime environment as they are any other. In fact, I would have thought that the green helicopter experience of the crews, either from their initial training at Shawbury or previous tours on other types would make them capable of landing in just about any spot that allows 10 ft disc clearance!
Now if you are saying its purely a factor of aircraft speed then you may have a point but I would perhaps leave out mention of the professional on board from your statement.
The maritime nature of B Flights role is a factor of location, not training or capability.

[flyingsniffer]

I'm not sure I get all the subtle jabs, vested interests and stuff in this thread, but here is a bit more info in the public domain on this.

Cambridge News | Latest News Headlines From Cambridge City & Cambridgeshire | National News By Cambridge News | Magpas gets its own helicopter (http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Magpas-gets-its-own-helicopter-17042012.htm)

It seems that they have use of an SAR helo short term before they get their 'own' helicopter. Aren't there 4 AA cabs already in East Anglia?

Funnily enough, nothing on their own website about it.

[chopper2004]

Staverton owned and run by any chance? Any inklings that it could be a 135 or 902?

[helihub]

Or perhaps the ex East Anglian 117 that arrived by road to Patriot at Cardiff HP to make it airworthy again?

[Bertie Thruster]

Hey, if the locals are prepared to charity fund an little air ambulance, even if it were based right next door to the 'public funded' SAR 'king in the 'little chef' at Watt, what's the beef?

Air Ambo funding for an average county= 50p/yr per adult, approx.

Just remember to put yr pennies in your local ambo pot and not the money grubbing, jump on the gravy train, heart-string pulling ('it's for babies') "national air ambulance" 'collecting' pot!

[flyingsniffer]

Anyway, back to the subject..

It appears that MAGPAS have a helicopter:

Magpas Helimedix fly to cardiac arrest near St Neots……11th May, 2012…… | Magpas (http://www.magpas.org.uk/magpas-helimedix-fly-to-cardiac-arrest-near-st-neots-11th-may-2012.html/)

Looks like a PAS Bolkow, I wonder who is tasking it? Not much on their website, you would think that they would be shouting from the rooftops

A little more here:

News - Local News: What's Happening In And Around Huntingdon, Godmanchester, Hartford, Hinchingbrooke & the surrounding area. (PE29) (http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Cambridgeshire/Huntingdon/PE29/News/Local-News/222072-MAGPAS-Statement-Regarding-the-Recent-Helicopter-Situation)

Very odd

[Fly_For_Fun]

I wonder if they will take on the 902 that used to be operated by the Cambridgeshire police.