The Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance helicopter is offline over several new faults.
Despite having spent a significant period grounded in recent months, the Bell 429 GlobalRanger has thrown up even more issues – resulting in the need for urgent repairs.
The aircraft spent ten weeks at Heliwork at Thruxton Aerodrome between 7 October and 15 December last year, where it underwent routine maintenance and a paint job.
It returned to Semington on 16 December, but developed a problem with its onboard fault detection system. It was flown back to Heliwork and remained offline over Christmas – until 10 January.
Yesterday (Thursday, 30 January), the air ambulance went back to Heliwork before it was flown to Denham Aerodrome in Buckinghamshire.
A Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance (WBAA) spokesperson confirmed that the Bell 429 has developed “a number of mechanical issues”, with each “completely unrelated to the other”.
Since 7 October 2024, the life-saving aircraft has been unavailable for emergency calls for 94 days of 116 – or 81% of the time.
Unusually WBAA own and operate their aircraft. The majority – if not all – other UK air ambulance charities lease a helicopter, which gives them access to a spare aircraft when theirs if offline.
A spokesperson said that critical care medics are responding to incidents in rapid response vehicles.
The cars, a BMW X5 and a Volvo XC90, carry the same equipment as the aircraft but – obviously – can’t airlift critically unwell patients to hospital.
Neighbouring air ambulance charities will provide support where possible. Yesterday, Great Western Air Ambulance attended a cardiac arrest in Marlborough. Sadly, the patient didn’t survive.
“Whilst the helicopter is offline, we will continue to attend incidents in our two critical care cars, which have all the same equipment that we carry on the aircraft”, the spokesperson added.
“We will also be supported by neighbouring air ambulances, just as we support them.
“January has been another busy month for our crew, with over 90 missions recorded.
“With the high levels of fog, rainstorms and floods that we have all experienced, our critical care cars have never been more important in serving the people of Wiltshire and Bath.”
