Rescue helicopter shifts base
The head of Palmerston North's rescue helicopter service is disappointed about being forced to move from the hospital-based hangar because of newly enforced aviation rules.
From today, the Civil Aviation Authority will strictly police regulations that ban helicopters from flying over built-up areas unless they can land safely during an engine failure.
The Square Trust rescue helicopter, which was renamed the Palmerston North rescue helicopter yesterday, will shift operations from the hospital helipad to the Fieldair base at the Palmerston North Airport.
The helicopter can still use the hospital pad to pick up or drop off patients in life-threatening conditions, but ambulances will have to transport less serious patients to and from the airport.
Philips Search and Rescue Trust chairman Errol Millar, who runs the organisation that oversees the Palmerston North helicopter, said he was "very sad" about the move, but pledged to continue providing the community with good service.
Mr Millar said he was "disgusted" with the CAA for not yet replying to a letter asking for an exemption.
CAA spokesman Bill Sommer said the exemption was still before the authority's director.
Operators could have their licences revoked for breaching the rule, but Mr Sommer said the CAA did not want things to go that far.
Philips Search and Rescue Trust secretary David Wickham said the service would return to the hospital pad if the exemption was granted.
"A move to the airport will remove any area of doubt because you can fly from the airport without the technical risk of being legit or illegit." The hospital hangar will lay dormant unless the exemption is granted, but its offices and training facilities may still be used. Stakeholders, such as MidCentral and St John, had been consulted about the move, and were satisfied patients would not be put at risk, he said.
"[It's] a little bit more inconvenient but in terms of the delivery to the customer or the patient, just as sound."
The changes were announced to about 100 people at a ceremony at the hospital hangar last night.
Cheques of $74,000 and $34,000 were presented to the helicopter from the Westpac Appeal and Horowhenua Community Trust respectively.
Mr Wickham said the name was changed because the Square Trust was disbanded four years ago.
The new name better represented the people the helicopter was serving, he said.