Ascent partners with LAA
Image courtesy Ascent Flight Training
The charity has raised more than £15 million to replace its current MD902 Explorer helicopters with two state-of-the-art Airbus H135s and training on the new aircraft will be carried out by experts from Ascent.
Ascent’s experienced instructors, based at its site at RAF Shawbury, will be using excess capacity on its Ground Based Training Equipment – including the Command and Tactics Trainers and Flight Training Devices – to give the charity’s pilots simulated experiences that will reflect some of the real-life situations they could face.
Ascent Managing Director, Tim James, said: “It is an absolute pleasure to partner with the London’s Air Ambulance team and provide them with training to support the introduction of their new helicopters. We wish them ongoing success in their amazing mission to save more lives in London through their rapid response and cutting-edge care.”
The charity delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured people who live, work and travel within the M25, with an average flight response time of 7.5 minutes. Since it was founded in 1989, the LAA has responded to over 48,000 people, with more than 2,000 people treated in 2023. Around five seriously injured patients receive time-critical medical aid every day.
The team, consisting of an advanced trauma doctor, paramedic and consultant on most missions, perform innovative and potentially life-saving procedures, usually found in the emergency department, on-scene. These can include open heart surgery, blood transfusions and general anaesthetic by the roadside.
By providing intervention as quickly as possible after injury, they aim to give patients the best chance of survival and best quality of life, after trauma.
“Partnering with Ascent marks a significant milestone for London’s Air Ambulance Charity as we move forward with our mission to upgrade our fleet and enhance our capabilities,” said Jonathan Jenkins, CEO of London’s Air Ambulance.
“Their expertise and advanced training resources will be invaluable in ensuring our pilots are well-prepared to operate the new Airbus H135 helicopters. This collaboration will undoubtedly help us continue delivering rapid response and cutting-edge care to critically injured individuals across London. We are grateful for Ascent’s support and look forward to a successful partnership.”
Ascent, which has been a partner in the UK’s Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) since 2008, is an experienced provider of innovative training systems, employing 410+ staff in the UK.
Operating primarily within the UK aerospace and defence sector – delivering aviation training to all three UK Armed Forces, with a wealth experience built over decades of flying operations – Ascent’s clients come from a range of industries. These include aviation, power and emergency services. Ascent was also recently approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to run dangerous goods training.
Ascent’s training courses with London’s Air Ambulance Charity are due to start in late 2024.
