Cornwall Air Ambulance’s Second AW169 Helicopter Officially Enters Service

Cornwall Air Ambulance has officially welcomed a second AW169 helicopter into full service as of Tuesday 5th August 2025, marking a major step forward in its lifesaving work across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The new aircraft, registration G-CNLL, touched down at the Newquay airbase four weeks ago. Since then, it has undergone final testing before being cleared to join the charity’s regular rotation of emergency medical missions.

Cutting-Edge Aircraft Joins the Fleet

Built by Leonardo Helicopters in Italy, the AW169 is the same model as the charity’s current aircraft, but features the latest ‘phase seven’ performance upgrades. These include a built-in weather radar, a larger main battery, and a rear-mounted Trakka Beam Searchlight.

Adam Smith, Unit Chief Pilot, said:

“The new aircraft is the next generation of the existing AW169, with the latest technological advancements and software. It allows us to reach the scene quickly, wherever that might be across Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly, and deliver the highly skilled clinical team to the patient’s side. The large fuel capacity and lifting capabilities make it a great aircraft for back-to-back missions, and making sure we can convey to the best suited hospital for a patient’s onward care. Importantly, owning a second AW169 increases our aircraft availability across our 365-day-a-year service, enabling us to attend more missions by air.”

More Room, More Lives Saved

The new helicopter offers better functionality for the charity’s clinical crew, with an upgraded rear cabin space that supports advanced care during flight.

Steve Garvey, Air Operations Officer, explained:

“The AW169 is a great aircraft for our service as it provides the clinical crew with plenty of space in the rear cabin. This allows for the safe transportation of all our advanced medical equipment to scene, as well as plenty of room for the attending clinician to monitor and treat the patient, with almost 360-degree access around them, during flight on route to hospital. Owning this second aircraft unlocks further clinical opportunities for us, by enabling us to always respond to medical emergencies on the best possible helicopter and provide the very best service for all our patients.”

Funded by Local Support

This milestone comes after the success of the 18-month-long Heli2 Appeal, which raised £2.85million to help fund the second helicopter. The appeal received support from individuals, businesses and community groups across Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and beyond.

Tim Bunting, Chief Executive, said:

“This momentous milestone would not have been possible without the generous support of the people of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and beyond. To every single person who donated, took on a challenge, held an event, bought our charity album, or however you got involved with the appeal, thank you for joining the Heli2 mission. Because of you, we can attend more of our missions by air with your second AW169 helicopter. Thank you for helping us to save even more lives for years to come.”

Demand for Support Remains High

Cornwall Air Ambulance responds to over 1,000 missions each year and needs to raise more than £8million annually to keep its service running. With no direct government funding, the charity continues to rely entirely on donations from the public and support from local communities and businesses.

For more information or to support the charity, visit Cornwall Air Ambulance.