The Midlands Air Ambulance Charity (MAAC) in the UK has taken delivery of its first H145 helicopter, which will be operated by Babcock Mission Critical Services.

The aircraft has been acquired by MAAC to further extend its HEMS operations, and includes a Bucher medical interior installed by Babcock and Airbus Helicopters' Helionix avionics and autopilot suite.

It has a maximum range of 403 nm, a MTOW of 3,700 kg, a flat floor and rear clamshell doors to accommodate stretchers. Until now, MAAC's fleet has been made up of three EC135 helicopters and the H145 addition is expected to offer increases in range, payload and space.

Airbus Helicopters UK MD Colin James says: “Babcock is set to provide a cutting-edge solution to MAAC, which will benefit from an aircraft that, time and again, has proved to be the ideal platform for UK HEMS operations.”

This will be the tenth HEMS H145 to operate in the UK when it enters service with MAAC.