Tailer's Family - journeying!
Project - RAF Waddington Air Show
The Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance
The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance is a dedicated medical air service which first began operations in Lincolnshire inApril 1994.
Based at RAF Waddington, south of Lincoln, and unaffected by road congestion, country roads, heavy vehicles or road works the Helicopter can reach any destination in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire in 19 minutes.
The Air Ambulance, first began operations in Lincolnshire in April 1994. The area of operation was extended to include Nottinghamshire in 1997.
The idea for an Air Ambulance was first suggested by a group of consultants at the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston in the late 1980's, to be used predominantly for the transfer of seriously ill and injured patients from Lincolnshire hospitals to regional specialist centres, reducing journey times and providing a far smoother form of transportation.
The Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Service NHS Trust recognised the benefits that an air ambulance could bring, not only for inter-hospital transfers, but also in providing a rapid response to accident victims in one of the largest rural counties in England. This rapid response, combined with swift and smooth transportation of casualties to appropriate treatment centres, could add extra value to the quality of care already delivered by ground resources.
The Ambulance Service drove the project forward in the early 1990's, with the support of local consultants, gradually turning the original concept into a working reality.
Prior to the launch of the aircraft, and spread over a period of two years, a number of important issues had to be addressed. A project team was first established, and this team then co-ordinated all further development, which included setting up a Charity, selecting an operating company, developing appropriate usage criteria, negotiating hospital landing sites, providing essential medical equipment and selecting and training a number of medical aircrew.
In England and Wales there are sixteen dedicated Air Ambulance operations flying a total of 22 helicopters and all are reliant upon charitable support. An Air Ambulance provides an important and sometimes vital additional patient care service for our most critically ill and injured patients.
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The new MD 902 Explorer is a “ new generation” twin engined helicopter ideally suited to the Air Ambulance role.
MD Explorers are already flying with a number of Police Services throughout the UK, including joint Police and Ambulance operations in Wiltshire and Sussex.
The first Explorer in a dedicated medical role was launched in Kent early in 2000, with London HEMS opting for the same aircraft a few months later.
Late November 2000, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire and bordering areas saw the introduction of a MD 902 Explorer to replace the older Bolkow, which had been in operation since 1994.
The new aircraft will continue to be funded by the community through the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance Trust. The respective Ambulance Services in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands will still exercise operational management, including tasking.
The MD Explorer has many advantages over other helicopters in terms of patient care. With a maximum speed of 154mph, a maximum range of 296 miles and endurance of nearly three hours, the aircraft will be able to operate much more effectively across the two counties.
A much bigger payload means that more weight can be carried without adversely affecting performance. This could include increased patient weight, extra medical equipment or additional personnel.
Whilst the powerful twin engines make for better performance, noise levels are lower than the Bolkow and the MD Explorer is regarded as the quietest twin-engined helicopter currently operating.
The cabin space in the aircraft is completely separate from the cockpit and is the largest in its class, providing better access to the patient in flight and more space for essential medical equipment. The large cabin area allows extra aircrew to be carried when required and two extra seats are available for medical staff or relatives.
The aircraft has a special tilt/slide stretcher and large sliding doors on each side thus enabling the aircrew to load and unload the patient more easily.
The Explorer has many important safety features including enhanced visibility, high set engines which greatly reduce any danger from exhaust and a main rotor that is set 9ft above the ground, well above head height.
Of special note is the unique NOTAR Anti-Torque system. There is no conventional tail rotor but air is blown through a long slot along the tail boom to stabilise the aircraft. With the NOTAR system a sliding circular cover near the end of the tail boom is opened and closed to adjust thrust.
Project - RAF Waddington Air Show
The Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance
The Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance is a dedicated medical air service which first began operations in Lincolnshire inApril 1994.
Based at RAF Waddington, south of Lincoln, and unaffected by road congestion, country roads, heavy vehicles or road works the Helicopter can reach any destination in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire in 19 minutes.
The Air Ambulance, first began operations in Lincolnshire in April 1994. The area of operation was extended to include Nottinghamshire in 1997.
The idea for an Air Ambulance was first suggested by a group of consultants at the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston in the late 1980's, to be used predominantly for the transfer of seriously ill and injured patients from Lincolnshire hospitals to regional specialist centres, reducing journey times and providing a far smoother form of transportation.
The Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Service NHS Trust recognised the benefits that an air ambulance could bring, not only for inter-hospital transfers, but also in providing a rapid response to accident victims in one of the largest rural counties in England. This rapid response, combined with swift and smooth transportation of casualties to appropriate treatment centres, could add extra value to the quality of care already delivered by ground resources.
The Ambulance Service drove the project forward in the early 1990's, with the support of local consultants, gradually turning the original concept into a working reality.
Prior to the launch of the aircraft, and spread over a period of two years, a number of important issues had to be addressed. A project team was first established, and this team then co-ordinated all further development, which included setting up a Charity, selecting an operating company, developing appropriate usage criteria, negotiating hospital landing sites, providing essential medical equipment and selecting and training a number of medical aircrew.
In England and Wales there are sixteen dedicated Air Ambulance operations flying a total of 22 helicopters and all are reliant upon charitable support. An Air Ambulance provides an important and sometimes vital additional patient care service for our most critically ill and injured patients.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The new MD 902 Explorer is a “ new generation” twin engined helicopter ideally suited to the Air Ambulance role.
MD Explorers are already flying with a number of Police Services throughout the UK, including joint Police and Ambulance operations in Wiltshire and Sussex.
The first Explorer in a dedicated medical role was launched in Kent early in 2000, with London HEMS opting for the same aircraft a few months later.
Late November 2000, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire and bordering areas saw the introduction of a MD 902 Explorer to replace the older Bolkow, which had been in operation since 1994.
The new aircraft will continue to be funded by the community through the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance Trust. The respective Ambulance Services in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands will still exercise operational management, including tasking.
The MD Explorer has many advantages over other helicopters in terms of patient care. With a maximum speed of 154mph, a maximum range of 296 miles and endurance of nearly three hours, the aircraft will be able to operate much more effectively across the two counties.
A much bigger payload means that more weight can be carried without adversely affecting performance. This could include increased patient weight, extra medical equipment or additional personnel.
Whilst the powerful twin engines make for better performance, noise levels are lower than the Bolkow and the MD Explorer is regarded as the quietest twin-engined helicopter currently operating.
The cabin space in the aircraft is completely separate from the cockpit and is the largest in its class, providing better access to the patient in flight and more space for essential medical equipment. The large cabin area allows extra aircrew to be carried when required and two extra seats are available for medical staff or relatives.
The aircraft has a special tilt/slide stretcher and large sliding doors on each side thus enabling the aircrew to load and unload the patient more easily.
The Explorer has many important safety features including enhanced visibility, high set engines which greatly reduce any danger from exhaust and a main rotor that is set 9ft above the ground, well above head height.
Of special note is the unique NOTAR Anti-Torque system. There is no conventional tail rotor but air is blown through a long slot along the tail boom to stabilise the aircraft. With the NOTAR system a sliding circular cover near the end of the tail boom is opened and closed to adjust thrust.