Air Ambulance Northern Ireland has purchased its first owned helicopter, an AW109SP aircraft that is due to become the charity’s primary emergency response helicopter from late summer 2026.

The helicopter, registered G-HMNI, was procured through Sloane Helicopters and manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters. It is currently undergoing final testing and a specialist medical fit-out before entering service.

Since launching in 2017, the service has responded to more than 5,500 emergency call-outs and now attends an average of 60 incidents each month. The charity says the new aircraft will offer advances in automation, performance in adverse weather, night-time operations, speed and payload capacity.

Dr David McManus, Chair of Air Ambulance NI, said ownership marks a transformative moment that will improve patient outcomes and save more lives through enhanced operational capability.

The charity currently operates two leased helicopters. Under the new arrangements, the existing primary aircraft, G-HEMZ, will move to a backup role, while the reserve helicopter G-RSCU will be retired.

The service is delivered in partnership with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. Each mission is crewed by a pilot, a doctor and a paramedic providing advanced pre-hospital critical care at the scene and during transfer to hospital. The helicopter operates daily from 7am to 7pm.

Maxine Paterson, Interim Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, welcomed the investment and said it strengthens a service crucial for reaching patients in hard-to-access locations and time-critical emergencies.

George George, Managing Director of Sloane Helicopters, said the acquisition reflects Air Ambulance NI’s commitment to investing in the future and driving operational excellence.

The impact of the service was illustrated by the story of its first tasking. On 22 July 2017, eleven-year-old Conor McMullan suffered a severe head injury when he was struck by a tractor trailer on his family farm near Castlewellan, County Down. The air ambulance was dispatched and critical care was administered at the scene. He was flown to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast in eight minutes, a journey that by road would have taken about an hour.

Conor McMullan recalled dropping to the ground and being unconscious. His father John said knowing his son was minutes from the care he needed brought great reassurance during the emergency.

Alongside the helicopter purchase, the charity has launched a ‘Lift Off Together’ fundraising campaign. Supporters who donate £200 can have a name placed on the underside of the new aircraft.