The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service has selected the aircraft that will bring the fleet to four twin-engine helicopters and so mean that, as much as possible, it can respond 24 hours a day to emergency and medical call-outs throughout the regions.
The service announced earlier this year that it had begun the search for an aircraft.
General manager Richard Jones said that once the $8 million machine joined the other three it would mean the bases at Broadmeadow and Tamworth will each have two twin engine aircraft providing 24-hour-a-day service.
The service provides its aero-medical services free to the people of the Hunter, Central Coast, Mid North Coast and New England - North West, including Walcha.
“We are able to do this and to provide for major new capital expenditure such as this because of the generosity of the people of those regions who understands the value of the service,” Mr Jones said.
“The $8 million purchase price for this new machine will stretch our finances, we are well positioned to repay the funds we will have to borrow.”
The second Bell 412 aircraft will work at Broadmeadow, allowing the two BK117 aircraft to work out of the Tamworth base.
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