It may be an unlucky day for some but Friday the 13th proved a winner for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
Last Friday, May 13, the service’s GM Richard Jones formally accepted the first of the new fleet of aircraft that will service the region from the Hawkesbury River to Tweed Heads.
Four Agusta Westland AW139 aircraft will come into service in the first quarter of 2017 after undergoing final fit out and once pilot, crews and engineering complete their rigorous training regimes.
The new aircraft are the result of the Hunter and northern services combining to successfully tender for a ten-year contract to provide aeromedical retrieval services on behalf of the NSW Ambulance Service.
Mr Jones said he was ‘very conscious’ during the handover that the milestone was made possible by ‘the wonderful support the people of the regions provide to the service to help ensure the safety of our communities’.
‘Once again I pass on our appreciation to our sponsors, our volunteers and all members of the community who help to make it possible,’ he added.
Kris Beavis, GM of the north coast’s Life Saver Rescue Helicopter said the new aircraft ‘represent significant change, which underpins our commitment to helping to provide the best possible service for those in the community who need our help.’
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