Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) bid an emotional farewell today to the life-saving helicopter which has operated from their Perth base for the past 10 years.
The charity’s EC135 T2i, G-SCAA, made a ceremonial flypast of its home airfield when it headed out of Perth Airport for the final time, as staff and current and former crew acknowledged the departure.
The arrival of the helicopter at SCAA in 2015 proved a major upgrade for the fledgling charity. Supported by LIBOR bank fines, the EC135 replaced SCAA’s starter Bolkow 105 helicopter from 2013.
It would go on to respond to more than 3,000 call outs, fly the equivalent of more than 10 times round the world and take to the air for nearly 3,300 hours as it airlifted life-saving crews to those most seriously ill and injured across Scotland.
Watching the long-serving aircraft leave, SCAA Chief Executive David Craig said it was a day of “mixed emotions”.
“It is terrific that SCAA has been supported by the public to the level that we are able to upgrade our aircraft, but it’s always sad to see an old friend leave.
“G-SCAA is a proven lifesaver. She’s taken on the very worst weather and terrain that Scotland presents and, with skilled pilots, got our crews through to those in need time and time again.
“This helicopter has embedded itself in the hearts of thousands of patients who owe so much to its capabilities and the determination of the many crews who have served on it throughout its 10 years at Perth with SCAA,” added David.
Among those gathered to say farewell was recently retired SCAA pilot Captain Russell Myles who flew the life-saving service from Perth for 11 years, the last nine on G-SCAA.
“G-SCAA was my absolute favourite aircraft to fly – really capable of handling the challenges we set it and a boon in tight spaces,” said the military and civilian aircraft veteran. “I spent more than 900 hours sitting in that pilot’s seat and it was much more comfortable than a Boeing 757.
“I have many happy memories of my working partnership with this helicopter and the people I’ve flown with and it’s nice to be at Perth to see it off.”
Long-serving SCAA paramedic Rich Garside has flown over 80,000 miles in G-SCAA. He acknowledged the service of an aircraft he called “a faithful friend”.
“G-SCAA has got us in and out of some challenging situations over the years and there are many memories of patients we’ve attended and colleagues I’ve served with during our years together,” he said.
“We now have an upgraded helicopter which is great progress for the charity but I’m glad to have been a part of the tribute as G-SCAA leaves on her final mission from Perth.”
Thanks to the ongoing generosity of the people of Scotland, G-SCAA has now been replaced by an upgraded H135 T2e, G-PSCA, complete with night vision capability, to take up the role at Perth, while the charity’s new customised state-of-the-art H145 D3 launched in service from SCAA’s Aberdeen base earlier this week.
“We now have a more capable fleet that will help SCAA further our ambition to ensure that no one in Scotland should die because help can’t get there in time,” said David Craig.
“This is the service Scotland deserves and it’s time to say farewell to G-SCAA and let our new generation of air ambulances lead the next chapter of the charity’s life-saving service.”
