Great North Air Ambulance
Encyclopedia
The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) is an English
charity
based in the United Kingdom
. It provides air ambulance
services across the North of England from the Scottish border south to North Yorkshire
in the east and Cumbria
in the west. It currently operates two helicopters, one near Penrith, Cumbria
and one at Durham Tees Valley Airport
. A third aircraft a Bolkow Bo 105 based at Otterburn Army Camp Northumberland was officially retired in February 2010 having been off line since the previous spring. Both aircraft introduced into service during 2010 are owned by the charity, previous aircraft being leased. The two helicopters are Dauphin Eurocopter AS 365 N2's G-NHAA and G-NHAB. They are managed and crewed by Multiflight Ltd. who were in May 2011 awarded a 5-year contract. Multiflight are based at Leeds Bradford Airport. However G-NHAB replaced G-HEMS at Langwathby on expiration of its lease. The charity remained committed to providing three aircraft on its website. A third AS 365 N2 was registered by Multiflight as G-NHAC on 27 April 2011 and handed over to the charity on 28 September 2011. The airframe is a 1996 Build N2, formerly VP-BEO and purchased from Savback Helicopters in Sweden. Currently G-NHAC is based at Langwathby while G-NHAB is on maintenance, acorrding to website /www.ukemergencyaviation.co.uk/ on 1 October. The same website also carries an update dated 11 October that Multiflight are to rerole AS365 Dauphin N1 G-CEYU as a spare aircraft for Great North Air Ambulance - Aircraft is currently listed for sale.
named Terence to the Royal Air Force
. Over several months the RAF sent back pictures of Terence, including several from Iraq
and of the bear flying a Lockheed U-2
.
During the first Ansari X Prize
flight of SpaceShipOne (SpaceShipOne flight 16P
), inanimate cargo was used to meet the prize requirements. Among the cargo was Terence. Terence was expected to be auctioned off after landing, but no confirmation of his sale is available.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It provides air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
services across the North of England from the Scottish border south to North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
in the east and Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
in the west. It currently operates two helicopters, one near Penrith, Cumbria
Penrith, Cumbria
Penrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area....
and one at Durham Tees Valley Airport
Durham Tees Valley Airport
Durham Tees Valley Airport is an international airport in north east England, located southeast of Darlington, about southwest of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. The airport serves County Durham and parts of North Yorkshire, and is in Middleton St George in the borough of Darlington...
. A third aircraft a Bolkow Bo 105 based at Otterburn Army Camp Northumberland was officially retired in February 2010 having been off line since the previous spring. Both aircraft introduced into service during 2010 are owned by the charity, previous aircraft being leased. The two helicopters are Dauphin Eurocopter AS 365 N2's G-NHAA and G-NHAB. They are managed and crewed by Multiflight Ltd. who were in May 2011 awarded a 5-year contract. Multiflight are based at Leeds Bradford Airport. However G-NHAB replaced G-HEMS at Langwathby on expiration of its lease. The charity remained committed to providing three aircraft on its website. A third AS 365 N2 was registered by Multiflight as G-NHAC on 27 April 2011 and handed over to the charity on 28 September 2011. The airframe is a 1996 Build N2, formerly VP-BEO and purchased from Savback Helicopters in Sweden. Currently G-NHAC is based at Langwathby while G-NHAB is on maintenance, acorrding to website /www.ukemergencyaviation.co.uk/ on 1 October. The same website also carries an update dated 11 October that Multiflight are to rerole AS365 Dauphin N1 G-CEYU as a spare aircraft for Great North Air Ambulance - Aircraft is currently listed for sale.
History
As part of a fundraising drive, Great North Air Ambulance Service temporarily handed off a teddy bearTeddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
named Terence to the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. Over several months the RAF sent back pictures of Terence, including several from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and of the bear flying a Lockheed U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
.
During the first Ansari X Prize
Ansari X Prize
The Ansari X Prize was a space competition in which the X Prize Foundation offered a US$10,000,000 prize for the first non-government organization to launch a reusable manned spacecraft into space twice within two weeks...
flight of SpaceShipOne (SpaceShipOne flight 16P
SpaceShipOne flight 16P
Flight 16P of SpaceShipOne was a spaceflight in the Tier One program that took place on September 29, 2004. It was the first competitive flight in the Ansari X PRIZE competition to demonstrate a non-governmental reusable manned spacecraft, and is hence also referred to as the X1 flight...
), inanimate cargo was used to meet the prize requirements. Among the cargo was Terence. Terence was expected to be auctioned off after landing, but no confirmation of his sale is available.
Structure
The Great North Air Ambulance Service operates three aircraft, based across northern England. It is one of only three air ambulance services in the UK to operate three aircraft, the others being the Midlands Air Ambulance and the Wales Air Ambulance. However the Scottish Ambulance Service operates 2 rotary wing and two fixed wing aircraft. Scotland's service is the only NHS funded Air Ambulance service in the UK.See also
- Air Ambulances in the United KingdomAir Ambulances in the United KingdomThere are a number of air ambulance services in the United Kingdom using either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. Thirty helicopters, all operated by commercial companies and funded by charitable organisations, cover England and Wales...
- Emergency medical services in the United Kingdom
- Police aviation in the United KingdomPolice aviation in the United KingdomPolice aviation in United Kingdom provides the British police with an aerial support unit to assist them in pursuit, surveillance and tracking....
- Cornwall Air AmbulanceCornwall Air AmbulanceThe Cornwall Air Ambulance is a dedicated helicopter emergency service for the English county of Cornwall. The helicopter flies approximately 1000 missions per annum, having flown over 20,000 missions. When introduced on 1 April 1987, Cornwall's Air ambulance became the first dedicated Helicopter...
- Devon Air Ambulance TrustDevon Air Ambulance TrustThe Devon Air Ambulance is an organisation providing emergency medical services through the provision of two helicopter air ambulances covering the county of Devon in the South West of England, United Kingdom...
- Dorset and Somerset Air AmbulanceDorset and Somerset Air AmbulanceThe Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is a registered charity, which uses a helicopter to provide an air ambulance service to the English counties of Dorset and Somerset. The air ambulance came into service in March 2000, following the success of similar schemes, such as Devon Air Ambulance Trust...
- Scottish Air Ambulance