Milestone to lease two AW169s to Northern Rescue
Both AW169s will fly EMS and SAR missions in New Zealand.
Milestone Aviation has agreed to lease two Leonardo AW169 aircraft to New Zealand air ambulance helicopter services provider Northern Rescue Helicopter Limited. Both helicopters will fly emergency medical services (EMS) and search and rescue (SAR) missions.
Operating from Northern Rescue’s bases in northern New Zealand, including the greater Auckland and Northland regions, both aircraft will be fitted with the latest medical equipment. The easy-to-reconfigure cabins will enable clinical teams to deliver lifesaving care to patients, according to the lessor.
Sébastien Moulin, chief commercial officer, Milestone welcomed Northern Rescue as a new customer – its first in New Zealand. “The AW169 is well suited to support Northern Rescue’s fleet renewal programme as it is configured to place patient needs at the heart of its design,” said Moulin. “We thank Ian MacPherson and the Northern Rescue team for the confidence they have placed in Milestone, and we look forward to working together as these aircraft deliver.”
Ian MacPherson, CEO, Northern Rescue, said: “Leasing the two aircraft from Milestone marks a significant step towards updating and standardising the fleet of EMS/SAR aircraft across Auckland and Northland, ensuring that our communities continue to receive the highest level of care and service possible. We are grateful that Milestone has identified the opportunity to enhance the New Zealand EMS sector, and we look forward to working closely with them into the future.”
Both helicopters will be delivered in the coming months. Northern Rescue provides clinical services and emergency air ambulance transport to the 1.85m people living in an area stretching from the Coromandel Peninsula to Cape Reinga in the Far North.
Northern Rescue operates a fleet of modern aircraft, worth more than NZ$50M, and employs over 100 staff. Staff work in a range of roles from clinical and aviation roles to fundraising and administration.
