<P> Air ambulance services in the United Kingdom are provided by a mixture of organisations, operating either helicopters or fixed - wing aircraft to respond to medical emergencies, and transport patients to, from, or between points of definitive care . These air ambulances fulfil both emergency medical services functions, as well as patient transport between specialist centres, or as part of a repatriation operation . </P> <P> The first air ambulance services in the UK commenced in Scotland in November 1933 with a flight from Wideford Airport, Kirkwall Orkney and in February 1939 the first night time ambulance flight was undertaken from Wideford to the island of Sanday, using car headlights to help take off and landing . The aircraft used was a General Aircraft Monospar G - ACEW operated by Highland Airways . </P> <P> Emergency air ambulances are generally helicopter based, and used to respond to medical emergencies in support of local ambulance services . In England and Wales, all of these services are charitably funded, and operated under contract with a private provider . The ambulance staff crewing these flights are generally seconded from the local NHS ambulance service . In Scotland, there is the only publicly funded air ambulance service, with the Scottish Ambulance Service operating two helicopters and two fixed wing aircraft in this role, alongside a single charity helicopter (EC135T2), operated by Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Service </Th> <Th> Radio call - sign </Th> <Th> Reg </Th> <Th> Aircraft </Th> <Th> Photo </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Cornwall Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 01 </Td> <Td> G - CNWL G - CIOS </Td> <Td> 2 × MD - 902 (Only one operational at any single time) </Td> <Td> G - CNWL MD902 G - CIOS MD902 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> The Air Ambulance Service: <P> Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance </P> <P> Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance </P> <P> Children's Air Ambulance (emergency patient </P> <P> transfers only) </P> </Td> <Td> Helimed 54 <P> Helimed 53 </P> <P> Helimed 77 </P> </Td> <Td> G - TAAS <P> G - RSCU </P> <P> G - HEMZ </P> </Td> <Td> 3 x A109SE </Td> <Td> G - TAAS AW109 G - RSCU AW109 G - HEMZ AW109 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Devon Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 70 Helimed 71 </Td> <Td> G - DAAN G - DVAA </Td> <Td> 2 × EC 135 </Td> <Td> G - DAAN EC135 G - DVAA EC135 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 10 </Td> <Td> G - DSAA </Td> <Td> AW169 </Td> <Td> G - DSAA AW169 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> East Anglian Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 85 Helimed 88 </Td> <Td> G - RESU G - HEMC </Td> <Td> 2 x H - 145 </Td> <Td> G - RESU H145 G - HEMC H145 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Essex & Herts Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 07 Helimed 55 </Td> <Td> G - EHEM G - HHEM </Td> <Td> 1 × MD - 902 1 x AW169 </Td> <Td> G - HHEM AW169 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Great North Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 58 Helimed 63 <P> Helimed 58 or 63 (operates as spare) </P> </Td> <Td> G - NHAA G - NHAB G - NHAC </Td> <Td> 3 × AS - 365 </Td> <Td> G - NHAA AS - 365 G - NHAB AS - 365 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Great Western Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 65 </Td> <Td> G - GWAC </Td> <Td> EC - 135 </Td> <Td> G - GWAA EC135 . This was the charity's previous helicopter . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 56 </Td> <Td> G - HIOW </Td> <Td> EC 135 </Td> <Td> G - HIOW Eurocopter EC135 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 21 Helimed 60 </Td> <Td> G - KSSA G - KSST </Td> <Td> 1 x MD - 902 <P> 1 x AW169 </P> </Td> <Td> G - KSSA MD902 (foreground) & G - KSST AW169 (background) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 29 </Td> <Td> G - LNAC </Td> <Td> AW169 </Td> <Td> G - LNAC AW169 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> London Air Ambulance (HEMS) </Td> <Td> Helimed 27 Spare (Helimed 28 if required as back - up) </Td> <Td> G - EHMS G - LNDN </Td> <Td> 2 x MD - 902 (Only one operational at any single time) </Td> <Td> G - EHMS MD902 G - LNDN MD902 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Magpas Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 66 </Td> <Td> G - HMDX </Td> <Td> MD - 902 </Td> <Td> G - HMDX MD902 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Midlands Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 03 Helimed 06 Helimed 09 </Td> <Td> G - RMAA G - HWAA G - OMAA </Td> <Td> 2 × EC 135 <P> 1x H145 </P> </Td> <Td> G - OMAA EC135 G - HWAA EC135 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> North West Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 08 Helimed 72 Helimed 75 </Td> <Td> G - NWAA G - NWAE G - NWEM </Td> <Td> 3 × EC - 135 </Td> <Td> G - NWAA EC135 G - NWAE EC135 G - NWEM EC135 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 76 </Td> <Td> G - SCAA </Td> <Td> 1 × EC - 135 </Td> <Td> (1) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Scottish Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 02 Helimed 05 Gama xxx Gama xxx </Td> <Td> G - SASN G - SASS G - SASC G - SASD </Td> <Td> 2 × EC - 145 T2 2 × King Air 200C </Td> <Td> G - SASN EC145 G - SASD 200C G - SASC 200C </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Thames Valley Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 24 </Td> <Td> G - TVAL </Td> <Td> EC 135 </Td> <Td> (2) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wales Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 57 Helimed 59 Helimed 61 Helimed 67 (Children's) </Td> <Td> G - WENU G - WOBR G - WROL G - WASC </Td> <Td> 3 x H145 <P> 1 x EC135 </P> </Td> <Td> G - WENU H145 G - WASC EC135 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Wiltshire Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 22 </Td> <Td> G - WLTS </Td> <Td> Bell 429 </Td> <Td> (3) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Yorkshire Air Ambulance </Td> <Td> Helimed 98 Helimed 99 </Td> <Td> G - YOAA G - YAAC </Td> <Td> 2 × H145 </Td> <Td> G - YAAC H145 </Td> </Tr> </Table>

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