The East Anglian Air Ambulance is an air ambulance which covers Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The service was launched in the summer of 2000 by jockey Frankie Dettori. The service now operates 365 days a year utilising two helicopters, covering over 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2) and a population of approximately 2.5 million[1]. Although the service was launched in 2000, flying did not commence until January 2001.
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The service operated two MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 helicopters provided by Sterling Helicopters until Feb 2011. However the charity has ceased this contract and at present is using two Bolkow Bo 105 helicopters provided by Bond Air Services Limited on a short term contract.[2] These helicopters operate with the code names "Anglia One" and "Anglia Two". Anglia One covers Norfolk and Suffolk, while Anglia Two covers Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
The two helicopters operate from different bases. Anglia One begins and ends its day at Norwich Airport. Anglia Two operates from its base at Cambridge Airport [3] having ceased to be based at RAF Wyton in December 2010.
When the service was first launched, Anglia One operated for only one day a week; this was soon expanded to five days a week and later to the current service of seven days a week. Anglia Two was launched in August 2007 and began operating five days a week (from Sunday to Thursday); but seven days a week service was introduced in 2008. It was manned by the Emergency Medical Team from Magpas Helimedix 24/7[4] until its move to Cambridge Airport. Clinical governance is now via ESMC [5]
The East Anglian Air Ambulance is a charitable service and does not receive funding from the government. It is estimated that it costs £3m a year[6] to keep both helicopters and the service operational; this money comes entirely from public donations.