We hope we never need their services, but for those that do, it literally can be a lifesaver. The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust has been operating for over 40 years performing medical, accident and search and rescue missions.
They have two state of the art AW169 helicopters (Westpac Rescue 1 and Westpac Rescue 2) built by the Leonardo helicopter company (formally Augusta Westland) in Italy. They were specifically designed for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) work and are used around the world for search and rescue and air ambulance work, we have the only ones operational in New Zealand.
Their third helicopter, the BK117 (Bolkov Kawasaki 117) Helicopter is one of the most commonly used aircraft in the world for rescue work, as it’s combination of reliability, speed and short rotor blades which allows it to fly close to cliff faces makes it unquestionably one of the best aircrafts for the job.
For more information, see their website.