The first H135 rotorcraft in the UK, which will be operated by Bond Air Services on behalf of Thames Valley Air Ambulance (TVAA), has entered service to fulfil EMS missions.

Acquired by Bond and delivered to its Staverton facility in August 2015 for completion and fitting of an Aerolite EMS interior, the H135 will replace Thames Valley's current EC135T2, which has been in service since 2008.

TVAA CEO Mark McGeown comments: “We are looking forward to bringing the H135 into service as our next generation EMS aircraft. Its improved performance, increased payload and better fuel economy, combined with NVIS capabilities, will enable our crews to take the major step into night operations. This is key to the future development of our air ambulance service.”

The aircraft has updated avionics and a reduced noise footprint, along with reportedly light maintenance requirements and high reliability.