Three NSW Ambulance helicopters attend an accident on Sydney’s south coast. (Phil Irwin)
There was the rare sight of three NSW Ambulance Greater Sydney Area HEMS AW139s at the scene of a single motor vehicle accident on April 23 at Wandandian, south of Sussex Inlet on Sydney’s south coast.
Two Bankstown Airport-based AW139s and one from the Illawarra Regional Airport landed in a heavy vehicle inspection bay adjacent to the Princes Highway near the accident scene before independently flying a female driver and male passenger to hospital sustaining chest and head injuries. A child was also airlifted to hospital with head injuries in a third helicopter.
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This response is understood to have been the first time Greater Sydney Area HEMS, which covers Wollongong, Sydney and Orange, has tasked three of its EMS helicopters to the same incident.
If Japan Post takes over Toll and they end up controlling 12 AW139 for NSW Ambulance I hope their efficiency experts look at this sort of response. About 9 will cover NSW at one time with 3 undergoing maintenance and or training. According to a past AA issue 3 based at Bankstown, 3 N NSW and 3 S NSW including the ACT machine that NSW pay the majority for anyway. Air and helicopter ambulances in NSW are free to the customers as opposed to their road equivalents. That is the NSW taxpayers expect value for money that is part of the reason the larger, more capable, more stable in adverse weather especially whilst winching AW139 was standardised across the state.
NSW residents might want to give the Mayor of Parramatta feedback about new construction thereabouts being limited to 80 stories ~250m tall given he wants planning exemption to 160 stories ~500m for iconic purposes so close to the Westmead Medical Precinct who supply the medical personnel to Bankstown Airport as needed. Surely the AW139 is big enough for 2 pilots, 2 stretchers and 2 medical teams per sortie justifying air pickup at Westmead Heliport instead of road taxis mentioned in that AA article.
Otherwise their might be lobbying for the multirole AW139 Air Ambulance Helicopters to be rebased at Westmead Heliport like the Child Flight and Head Injury types are now.
Michael
says:
Hmm, thought one of them was from Wollongong as NSWA only have two 139’s at Bankstown? Also pretty sure hospital info isnt exactly accurate… Ah, never let facts get in the way. Well done to the crews and NSWA for responding.
australianaviation.com.au
says:
Hi Michael,
We have updated the story based on updated information.
Cheers
Corey
says:
I believe the QLD RACQ/Care Flight group will be buying a large fleet of these AW139 helicopters to replace it’s ageing fleet of BK117s, Bell 412s, 230, 206L1 Long Ranger and AS350BA “Squirrel” as the previous QLD Government made a very large funding commitment that couldn’t be scrapped or lowered even if there was a change of government. Also what supports this id that Careflight Group bought AW139 simulators to train pilots either working for Careflight or another company.
iscover
Matthew
says:That is brilliant to see
Chris
says:If Japan Post takes over Toll and they end up controlling 12 AW139 for NSW Ambulance I hope their efficiency experts look at this sort of response. About 9 will cover NSW at one time with 3 undergoing maintenance and or training. According to a past AA issue 3 based at Bankstown, 3 N NSW and 3 S NSW including the ACT machine that NSW pay the majority for anyway. Air and helicopter ambulances in NSW are free to the customers as opposed to their road equivalents. That is the NSW taxpayers expect value for money that is part of the reason the larger, more capable, more stable in adverse weather especially whilst winching AW139 was standardised across the state.
NSW residents might want to give the Mayor of Parramatta feedback about new construction thereabouts being limited to 80 stories ~250m tall given he wants planning exemption to 160 stories ~500m for iconic purposes so close to the Westmead Medical Precinct who supply the medical personnel to Bankstown Airport as needed. Surely the AW139 is big enough for 2 pilots, 2 stretchers and 2 medical teams per sortie justifying air pickup at Westmead Heliport instead of road taxis mentioned in that AA article.
Otherwise their might be lobbying for the multirole AW139 Air Ambulance Helicopters to be rebased at Westmead Heliport like the Child Flight and Head Injury types are now.
Michael
says:Hmm, thought one of them was from Wollongong as NSWA only have two 139’s at Bankstown? Also pretty sure hospital info isnt exactly accurate… Ah, never let facts get in the way. Well done to the crews and NSWA for responding.
australianaviation.com.au
says:Hi Michael,
We have updated the story based on updated information.
Cheers
Corey
says:I believe the QLD RACQ/Care Flight group will be buying a large fleet of these AW139 helicopters to replace it’s ageing fleet of BK117s, Bell 412s, 230, 206L1 Long Ranger and AS350BA “Squirrel” as the previous QLD Government made a very large funding commitment that couldn’t be scrapped or lowered even if there was a change of government. Also what supports this id that Careflight Group bought AW139 simulators to train pilots either working for Careflight or another company.