The Service

The red and yellow liveried EC135 helicopter is based at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, which is the central point for the three counties TVACAA serves.

The Air Ambulance carries a full range of life saving medical equipment and two fully qualified paramedics, who are supported on a regular basis by a small team of dedicated doctors.

The helicopter is operated in daylight hours, seven days per week, 365 days per year.

The Air Ambulance has the benefit of having an additional seat to carry a carer or parent, which can be very important if the patient is a sick or injured child.

It can transport one patient with the ability to treat and care in the air and has the provision for two stretchers in the case of an extreme medical emergency situation.

Our Patch

TVACAA operates across the three counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire (BOB).  However, Air Ambulances have no clinical boundaries and can often be called out to attend emergencies in neighbouring counties when further assistance is required by the resident Air Ambulance. 

The Golden Hour

The 'Golden Hour' is a term often used in emergency medicine to denote the vital period immediately after an accident or the onset of an acute illness.

Patient survival rates are improved if treatment is provided within this 'Golden Hour' and the Air Ambulance has the ability to provide the speed and treatment that can make all the difference.

• Speed – we can fly at speeds of up to 150 mph.
• Access – we can reach and land in remote areas with dificult access - such as farmland and golf courses.
• Distance – we can reach our outer most borders within 15 minutes, faster than any conventional land ambulance, often flying over traffic jams and traffic congestion.
• A&E – we can take patients to the most appropriate Accident & Emergency, trauma unit or specialist treatment department.