East Anglian Air Ambulance
East Anglian Air Ambulance
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East Anglian Air Ambulance

The East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) is an air ambulance providing Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) across the English counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The appeal to fund the service was launched in the summer of 2000 by top jockey Frankie Dettori, who had been injured in a serious plane crash in June of that year. When flying commenced in January 2001, the service was initially available only one day a week. The East Anglian Air Ambulance operates two helicopters, 365 days a year, from its bases at Cambridge Airport and Norwich Airport, covering over 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2) and a population of approximately 3.5 million.

EAAA's mission statement is: "To alleviate suffering and save lives, by the rapid delivery of specialist clinicians and equipment to accidents and medical emergencies and the subsequent transfer of patients to and between hospitals".

The charity provides air ambulance cover for East Anglia, in association with East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which provides highly skilled critical care paramedics who fly with the charity. Doctors are seconded from their home NHS trusts.

Since April 2015 at Cambridge and February 2016 at Norwich, EAAA have operated Airbus H145 helicopters. The introduction of the H145 provides EAAA with a helicopter that is capable of carrying two flight crew, three clinicians and a patient, with increased cabin space and performance. Anglia One, G-RESU, covers Norfolk and Suffolk and is based at Norwich Airport. Anglia Two, G-HEMC, which was the first H145 to operate in the United Kingdom, covers Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire and is based at Cambridge Airport. Both helicopters, their pilots and engineers are provided by Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore, formerly known as Bond Air Services.

EAAA's first aircraft was a Bolkow 105, commissioned from Sterling Aviation. The aircraft was based at Norwich Airport and had the call sign 'Anglia One'.

In June 2006, a new helicopter, a MBB/Kawasaki BK 117, G-OEMT, was commissioned from Sterling Aviation. The aircraft replaced the Bolkow 105, G-EYNL, and went into service as Anglia One. In August 2007, a second MBB/Kawasaki BK 117, G-RESC, went into service as Anglia Two. Sometime between 2007 and 2011, the EAAA produced a rebranded Revell Eurocopter Medicopter 117 kit, which included decals for G-RESC and G-OEMT, and was sold to raise funds.

In March 2011, EAAA changed operator and moved from Sterling Aviation to interim supplier, Bond Air Services. Bond later successfully tendered for the contract to operate both helicopters. During the interim period EAAA flew red aircraft but soon returned to their more familiar yellow livery with the introduction of the Eurocopter EC135.

In 2012, EAAA commissioned the fully night-capable EC135 T2e and commenced the CAA approval process to begin the night HEMS service.

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