The people of Hawkes Bay are the latest to benefit from a major upgrade of New Zealand\u2019s emergency helicopters, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2024, New Zealand\u2019s helicopter fleet was the oldest in the developed world and the coalition government has invested to fix that,\u201d Ms Costello says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new Airbus H145 D3 helicopter operated by Search and Rescue Services Limited in the Hawke\u2019s Bay is the eighth new or near-new machine to come into operation since early 2024. The others have been in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Greater Wellington, Nelson\/Tasman, Canterbury and the West Coast regions.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur air ambulance helicopters play a vital role in saving lives around New Zealand, and this is particularly true for those living in remote, rural or regional areas. That\u2019s why $27.3 million was invested across 2024 and 2025 to enable the country\u2019s air ambulance helicopter services to replace ageing helicopters with 16 newer aircraft.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new helicopters provide improved safety, more reliable service, a better capacity to respond in bad weather conditions, reduced maintenance costs, greater fuel efficiency and better operational performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new Hawkes Bay helicopter features enhanced automation, improved performance in challenging conditions, and superior patient care capabilities compared to the aircraft it replaces.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new helicopter will strengthen air ambulance response across the region, supporting patients with life-threatening conditions, those who cannot be reached by road ambulance, and critically ill patients requiring inter-hospital transfer with specialist intensive care teams,\u201d Ms Costello says.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy June next year, a further eight replacement helicopters will begin operating in remaining parts of the North Island and in Christchurch.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople working in our air ambulance service do an incredible job and the investment to upgrade our helicopter fleet is helping to ensure best outcomes for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The people of Hawkes Bay are the latest to benefit from 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