The Aeroplanes
The Life Flight NZ Air Ambulance Service is provided by two aeroplanes. One is based at Wellington International Airport (operating since 1983), the other at Auckland International Airport (operating since February 2005). This is a fully dedicated nationwide air ambulance service flying an average of three missions every day.
The aeroplanes are flying intensive care wards staffed by advanced medical staff. If you need specialist medical services or equipment at a hospital outside your local area, we can fly you there at intensive-care-level. We also do other transports
like ‘ongoing monitoring' flights with a full medical team.
The aircraft are Fairchild Metroliners. These aeroplanes are pressurised, require two pilots because they are
fully IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) equipped and operated they can fly at all
times of the day and night and in all but the most severe weather.
They can be configured to carry two stretchers or two incubators, or one of each. Four medical staff, one crewperson and up to four relatives or patient support people can also be carried. This is an invaluable benefit to families, who are already going through a traumatic time.
Interesting Facts:
• Each plane has two 1,000-horsepower turbine jet prop engines
• They burn around 380 litres of jet A1 fuel per hour
• With full fuel (2,453 litres), the planes can fly for up to seven hours continuously: this means flying the length of New Zealand or to the Chatham Islands and back without refuelling
• They have an average cruising speed of 470km/h
• They can maintain sea-level pressurisation flying at 15,000 feet
• They have a average flight height of 18,000 feet
• In 2007, 1,206 New Zealanders needed the Life Flight NZ Air Ambulance service.
Find out about the types of missions flown.
