Air Ambulance in UK

[bosski]

Anybody heard anything about the new HEMS contract at Bristol e.g. company, a/c type etc

Cheers

[Helinut]

The rumour I heard was that the contract was/has gone to Sloane with a 109 Power. However, there seems to have been all sorts of pauses and changes of venue. As yet, I believe the operation has not started.

There have been changes in the Ambulance Trusts in this part of the world. New "trainsets" may be thought to be a good idea, but the realities of fundraising through a charitable air ambulance trust may not fit in with the wished/desired timescales of the new super-ambulance trust. Two of the counties covered by the new Ambulance Trust (Great Western) already have perfectly sensible air ambulances with an established fundraising setup.

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Two of the counties covered by the new Ambulance Trust (Great Western) already have perfectly sensible air ambulances with an established fundraising setup.

Agreed. I'm fascinated to see how they'll sell the concept to the people of Wiltshire. How does this sound: take away a HEMS service based in near-enough the geographical centre of the county, operating between the hours of 0830 and 0245 (allowing time to check the aircraft/ put it to bed) at a cost of 30% of the running costs of the police heli (yet using up to 50% of the flying hours). Replace it with an aircraft based below a ridgeline to the west of the county which operates daylight hours only (although it might be able to extend to night landings, albeit only at suitably-lit hospital sites. NOT HEMS sites as at present) and covers 2 other counties as well. The person who can spin this little story successfully should be able to work for any PR agency in the world afterward.

[psyclic]

Tthat person might be an associate of the PR company used by an aggressive HEMS charity, whose "CEO" is actually a free lance fund raiser (paid by the hour), whose wife is that very same associate of the forementioned PR company.

That HEMS charity apparently managed to persuade an ambulance trust to use one of their helicopters in preference to the two other neighbouring HEMS charities (who were not even included in the process) in a recent Midlands upheaval involving the relocation of a previous HEMS provider.

So I suppose anything is possible down Bristol way!

[quichemech]

It will be interesting to see where they base it!

Lulsgate won't be any good unless the machine is full IFR, besides the airport don't appear to be very keen on GA.

So it'll be Filton with the Police then, not easy cramming another machine in that old hangar!

[Grand Ops]

Chaps, this is all speculation, viewpoints etc.....but does anyone have any hard evidence....some facts......or sensible ideas???

Alas, you just all seem to be putting more "R" into PPRUNE.....................

I think Bosski may have been looking for a good answer to what is a GOOD QUESTION....!

Anyone else "KNOW" anything...?

[Russell Sprout]

Do we have any 109 HEMS drivers? I was looking at one the other day and couldn't see why anyone would want one..... Low rotor blades, instrument panal obstructing forward/ downward vision, small low cabin, tricycle wheeled undercarriage (nightmare to land in the mud), and an exposed tail rotor, o.k it goes 10 knots faster than other contenders but that would make for a saving of about 20 seconds on average journey time.

[psyclic]

according to the press releases the 109 was "chosen" by EMAS to replace the County cab at East Midlands as it gave an "improved service", compared to the 135 or 902, as a HEMS machine!

( the improvement, apparently, was that it was faster and could carry two patients!)

[Helinut]

If you want facts, wait for the press release. The site had moved to the Weston-super-Mare Helicopter museum, the last time I heard.

However, it hasn't started yet................

[psyclic]

Good old press releases. Excellent way to get the facts!

Different area I know but just to give an example:

"The new Augusta 109 helicopter, called Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance, will be quicker and bigger and would be operated for longer flying hours and in worse weather conditions."

[nodrama]

Read latest issue of Police Aviation News (Mar 08), Avon AA is now confirmed a B0105 leased from BAS. No mention of location but most likely Filton or Weston. So what happened to the Sloanes 109?

[Grand Ops]

Like our colleagues have said before...."good old press releases"..........you can always rely on them for the truth.

Your question "what happended to Sloane?", well the last time i saw them, they were at Sywell doing quite well, dont you know!

Do we really trust the media to report the truth??????

I think i will wait for the official press release myself.

[nodrama]

I'm sure Sloane is doing just fine. I only asked that if the PAN article was to believed, what had happened to the 109 that Sloanes had ear-marked for the Avon contract?

We will see, eh?

[MINself]

I heard this astonishing rumour recently that a patient of the East Mids AA and their new A109 had to be transported by road ambulance as they couldn't fit on the stretcher due to their height!!.... Does the A109 have a particularly short cabin?

[winchman]

Just been told the same thing, how the hell can you introduce a new aircraft thats not fit for role? Just wondering what happens to patients with traction splints fitted....

[medihell]

So does that mean that if you are over 6 ft tall and require the services of an airambulance in the east midlands area remember to ask the 999 operator for the lincs and notts or yorkshire airambulance to attend!!!!

[What Limits]

Possibly because the A109 patient is loaded across the cabin rather than lengthways in the MD902 or EC135

[medihell]

Somebody better tell the comms units to revise there protocol.
A airway
B breathing
C circulation
L length of patient

[victor papa]

The 109 patient lies behind the co-pilot to the rear bulkhead along the LH sliding door,thus also lenghtwise. The 5th fuel tank must be removed to lengthen the cabin to accommodate 5.8ft stretcher on a box type assembly. Guess it is ok if your averaged size patient is 5.6ft weighing 60-80kgs. We are now getting a 109 shortly so we will see first hand how it works as our average patients(other than incubator cases) weigh 80 to 140kgs with the length to go with it. We currently often have to lift the shortened dr seat at the patients head in the Squirrel so do not know how it will work in the 109. Will let you know

[MINself]

Possibly because the A109 patient is loaded across the cabin rather than lengthways in the MD902 or EC135

I see, but the cross cabin dimensions of the A109 E Power are 1.62 m, as per the AW website, which is fairly limiting unless the majority of the stretcher patients are expected to be pygmies! or does the East Mids aircraft have the bulging doors that give an few extra inches?

Thanks, Victor Papa just read your post, this sounds life a real faff if you're having to alter the internal configuration for taller patients.