Devon Air Ambulance
Role: Search and Rescue

(Westcountry Ambulance Service NHS Trust).
Devon Air Ambulance went into operation on 27 August 1992 and covers the counties of Devon and Somerset in the South-West of England, including Exmoor and Dartmoor. Initially based at Exeter Airport, the first helicopter moved was later co-located with the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary helicopter on the Police HQ at Middlemoor (Exeter), to cover the south Devon area.

The first helicopter was replaced by a new EC.135 in 2004. In April 2005 a trial service to cover north Devon was introduced using the old helicopter, based at Belle Vue Airfield, near Great Torrington. This trial was successful and the helicopter moved to a permanent base at Eaglescott Airfeld, Burrington.

A new EC.135 will be introduced in October 2008, based at Middlemoor. This will allow the existing EC.135 to replace the Bo 105 at Eaglescott. In a change from previous practice, the new helicopter will be directly owned by the Trust. The previous helicopters have been leased from Bond Air Services Ltd.

Air Bases:

Base	Duration
Exeter Airport	Nov 1983 - Sept 2005
Belle Vue Flying Club, Great Torrington	28 April 2005 - April 2006
Exeter Police HQ, Middlemoor	Sept 2005 - Present
Eaglescott Airfield, Burrington	5 April 2006 - Present

Aircraft Used:

Type	Qty	Service	Example Serials
MBB Bo 105DBS	1	Nov 1983 - 24 Jan 1999	G-BATC, (First Air - Bond Helicopters Ltd) 'Helimed 4'
MBB Bo105DBS-4	1	24 Jan 1999 - 2006	G-DCCH, (Bond Helicopters Ltd)
MBB Bo105DBS-4	1	2006 - 2008	G-NDAA, Eaglescott, c/s 'Helimed ?'
Eurocopter EC.135T2	1	Aug 2004 - Present	G-DAAT, 2004+ Exeter Police HQ, 2008+ Eaglescott, c/s 'Helimed 4'
Eurocopter EC.135T2+	1	Oct 2008 - Present	G-DVAA, Exeter Police HQ, c/s 'Helimed ?'

	G-BATC (photo, Steve Coombes)

References:

• Devon Air Ambulance
• wikipedia: Devon Air Ambulance