The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) is an English charity based in the United Kingdom. It provides air ambulance services across the North of England from the Scottish border south to North Yorkshire in the east and Cumbria in the west. It currently operates two helicopters, one near Penrith, Cumbria and one at Durham Tees Valley Airport.[1] A third aircraft a Bolkow Bo 105 based at Otterburn Army Camp Northumberland was officially retired in February 2010 having been off line since the previous spring.[2] Both aircraft introduced into service during 2010 are owned by the charity, previous aircraft being leased. The two helicopters are Dauphin Eurocopter AS 365 N2's[3] G-NHAA and G-NHAB. They are managed and crewed by Multiflight Ltd.[3] who were in May 2011 awarded a 5-year contract.[4] Multiflight are based at Leeds Bradford Airport.[5] However G-NHAB replaced G-HEMS at Langwathby on expiration of its lease.[6] The charity remained committed to providing three aircraft on its website.[7] A third AS 365 N2 was registered by Multiflight as G-NHAC on 27 April 2011 and handed over to the charity on 28 September 2011.[8][9] The airframe is a 1996 Build N2, formerly VP-BEO and purchased from Savback Helicopters in Sweden. Currently G-NHAC is based at Langwathby while G-NHAB is on maintenance, acorrding to website /www.ukemergencyaviation.co.uk/ on 1 October.[10] The same website also carries an update dated 11 October that Multiflight are to rerole AS365 Dauphin N1 G-CEYU as a spare aircraft for Great North Air Ambulance - Aircraft is currently listed for sale.[11]
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As part of a fundraising drive, Great North Air Ambulance Service temporarily handed off a teddy bear named Terence to the Royal Air Force. Over several months the RAF sent back pictures of Terence, including several from Iraq and of the bear flying a Lockheed U-2.
During the first Ansari X Prize flight of SpaceShipOne (SpaceShipOne flight 16P), inanimate cargo was used to meet the prize requirements. Among the cargo was Terence. Terence was expected to be auctioned off after landing, but no confirmation of his sale is available.[12]
The Great North Air Ambulance Service operates three aircraft, based across northern England. It is one of only three air ambulance services in the UK to operate three aircraft, the others being the Midlands Air Ambulance and the Wales Air Ambulance.[13][1] However the Scottish Ambulance Service operates 2 rotary wing and two fixed wing aircraft. Scotland's service is the only NHS funded Air Ambulance service in the UK.