Magpas has confirmed to HeliHub.com that they have recently signed a new four year contract with Castle Air.  The operator is currently in the process of recruiting (including via LinkedIn) for new HEMS pilots to fulfil the contract.  No start date has been given at this time.

Magpas Air Ambulance provides pre-hospital emergency care to patients across the East of England via helicopter and three rapid response vehicles. The new pilots will work alongside Magpas Air Ambulance’s existing team of four technical crew members, flying the AW109SP GrandNew to the most seriously sick and injured patients in the region.

Moving to a smaller helicopter than the AW169 previously flown suggests that Magpas has changed their spending priorities.  A detailed review of their annual accounts for the year to 30 June 2023 show that the charity spent over £6.6 million on their very impressive HQ building and hangar at Alconbury, Cambridgeshire.

Having previously worked with Specialist Aviation Services (SAS), Magpas needed to sign a new operational contract after Gama Aviation bought selected assets – but not the contracts – from SAS under a pre-pack administration arrangement in December 2023.  Ultimately Magpas were unable to agree terms with Gama, and thus paused their flying activities early 2024 until a new contract was in place.

This is the second long-term air ambulance contract won by Castle Air, who also fly an AW169 for Cornwall Air Ambulance.  The company also provides their AOC as an interim situation on another aircraft to HeliService UK Ltd, who are actively working with UK CAA towards the issue of their own Operations Certificate.