A NEW fleet of AW139 aircraft will be rolled out across three Westpac Rescue Helicopter bases and state member Kevin Anderson says it is a real opportunity to reinstate winching at Tamworth.
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Mr Anderson met with Westpac Rescue Helicopter general manager Richard Jones yesterday to get a briefing on the new aircraft coming online.
“They’re bigger aircraft, more powerful with more space and the ability to operate at night,” Mr Anderson said.
As part of the minister’s request for standardised service in the rescue service, the Newcastle, Lismore and Tamworth bases will obtain new, identical choppers.
“If there’s an appetite to return winching to Tamworth, this would provide an exciting opportunity.
“There is a real opportunity and reason to reinstate winching with the roll-out of the new helicopters next year,” he said.
It is believed the new helicopter will be in Tamworth by May 2017.
Mr Jones said the “best thing about this is we are fulfilling the minister’s implementation plan and her strategy to have the same helicopters and the same training across NSW, in particular the New England North West”.
The helicopter service was ordered to cease winching operations in 2013 following an aeromedical retrieval report that raised safety concerns with the low amount of winching being conducted in the area and subsequently recommended that operations be suspended.
