Thames Valley Air Ambulance
 

I've heard that the Thames Valley Air Ambulance is to change aircraft/hands from A109 Power and Sloane to something else - McAlpine/Bond EC135 perhaps?

Can anyone shed any light on this?

I understand that such a move is likely. There is no chance of a 135 for at least 18 months and frying pans and fires springs to mind.

Both Thames Valley and Yorkshire have been trying to cut costs as the AA money runs down and moving to another supplier is a classic way to achieve this. Trying to operate a new aircraft is far harder than and old one. Looks good but the repayments can cripple.

If TVAC is to change aircraft I think they may well return to their humble beginings.... its cheaper.

I beleive you might see a couple of B105s doing the job.

They confirmed the move Tuesday [14th].

On Thursday they start up with Bond [BASL] using a BO105. The move is as they candidly say 'more affordable'.

The Thames Valley unit was the flagship for NAAAS when it was new and someone thought that the flagship should have a snazzy new heli - hence the 109 Power [or two really because one was pranged].

They just could not afford the new ship. They were flying a sports car where a box van would do just fine.

Perhaps now they will find their feet and get together enough finance to fly an 'EC135' [their quote not mine] in a year or so.

Good luck to them they need some fortune.

Does that mean there will be no 109's flying in the emergency services fleet now?

Hello TC,

No 109s flying regular emergency services in the UK. There will/may be occasional charter EMS no doubt.

Dyfed-Powys Police [they suffered a crash recenty] have yet to make a decision on what to replace their own 109 with so it is a mite too early to write the type off.

The 109/119 [Koala] remain popular in the world emergency services arena of course - mainly EMS.

Also if the ambulance trust sold all their latest road ambulances, and replaced them with 30 year old Austin mini vans, this would save EVEN more money!!!!


I think there would be an out cry!!

Thanks for the informed comment Bosher, my company was seriously considering supporting the Thames Valley Air Ambulance but if the new helicopter is comparable to a 30 year old Austin mini van, that would obviously be a waste of money. We will find a different charity.

What are they going to do 18 months from now when the 105 will no longer be allowed to fly night ops (HEMS)..may as well bite the bullet now and buy a glass cockpit EC135...

why not buy a 902 instead and do the job right first time

Is anyone doing night HEMS, Bo 105, EC135 or otherwise???

Is anyone doing night HEMS, Bo 105, EC135 or otherwise???

No. But it will come.

And for that you will need an IFR capable airframe that the CAA accepts as being up to the job.

PANews you are wrong

Both Sussex and Wiltshire joint Police/ambulance units do night HEMS. Sussex for some years now, originally using the BO 105 and now the Explorer.

like i said why not get a explorer 902

I know the A109 had an 'incident'. Is that the only reason it's not been popular with Police / HEMS?

Serious question, I've never operated one.

Is it night HEMS or night CASEVAC ?

I stand corrected on the police operations front I was wearing my blinkers and was thinking purely in HEMS terms [I think I made that mistake before and Sussex dived in then!]

As for ...

I know the A109 had an 'incident'. Is that the only reason it's not been popular with Police / HEMS?

My understanding is that the [public domain] reason for parting company with the HEMS A109 was pure cost. After three years the charity [it went bust once] has still not entirely got its act together and still has no collections strategy in some rich pickings parts of its area [Oxford mentioned].

Upshot is that they decided to get out of a new airframe with its high costs until they do find their feet.

The AA funding has stopped, just £500,000 or so a year now, but additional money had been put aside for the A109 by the AA. In the end though they just could not hack living hand-to-mouth for another term.

On the positive side they have already said they want back into a new generation aircraft as soon as possible.

Did I get anything else wrong? Must watch what I write!

I'm more than prepared to take a hit on this, so get your darts out, but:
I am led to believe that the 902 is not certified to fly IFR in IMC, by the CAA. To that end how does it fly Night HEMS, which is IFR ops?

If this is the case (albeit temporary until the CAA get sorted) then my suggestion is:

"get an EFIS 135 CPDS 2B2 T" (md 600!)

Next...............;)

Thomas C From what I have heard you are correct. Also does the Explorer not have a tendency to ' weathercock back into wind' and there is not a lot you can do about it. Surely a helicopter that will hover side on to a 50 knot wind is a better bet when operating into an ad hoc site, at least it will point the way you expect. No 'Bl**job' for me on this one!! As you I expect to take a hit on this one, so I'll take one step back and start digging. :cool:

Thomas coupling
The London HEMS 902 is certified for two-crew IFR and is awaiting single pilot certification from the CAA. There are 4 instrument rated pilots on type there as well.

Night HEMS operations to Primary accidents/incidents are not undertaken by air ambulances operating on an AOC, but police a/c on PAOC can. Secondary transfers (hospital to hospital) can be done by air ambulances at night subject to normal public transport landing site criteria. Flight from a primary site can be undertaken to a lit hospital site if night has fallen since landing at the site.

BungleBob
Can I suggest that landing in a 50kt x-wind by day or night with any aircraft is not recomended. A site further from the incident but into wind could save a lot of paperwork and red faces in the end.