Hon Casey Costello
Associate Minister of Health
Hon Scott Simpson
Minister for ACC

The first brand new helicopter of nine upgraded air ambulance helicopters that will operate around the country is now in service for people across Waikato, Coromandel and the King Country, Associate Health Minister Hon Casey Costello and ACC Minister Scott Simpson announced today.

“It is fantastic news that this helicopter will support people living in these regions as part of the Government’s investment to upgrade some of New Zealand’s ageing air ambulance fleet,” Ms Costello said today, during her visit to see the new helicopter at the Waikato helicopter base in Hamilton.

“This brand new 5-blade Airbus H145 D3 passed its final test flight on 25 February and goes into operation this week.

“This replacement helicopter will offer improved safety, a more reliable service, better capacity to respond in bad weather conditions, reduced maintenance costs, greater fuel efficiency and better operational performance.

“It is one of nine replacement air ambulance helicopters that are being bought or leased in 2024/25 and deployed to parts of the country where they are most needed.”

“Our Emergency Air Ambulance Helicopter Service (EAAHS) plays a vital role in responding to injuries and saving lives around New Zealand, particularly for those living in remote, rural or regional areas,” Mr Simpson says.

“In just five years, demand for air ambulances has increased by 22 per cent, and that’s why I’m delighted to welcome this brand-new air ambulance.

“The helicopter fleet enables paramedics, doctors and nurses to provide treatment while patients are transported to an appropriate hospital or healthcare facility. This reduces the impacts of injury or illness from delayed care, and the Government is looking forward to the continued rollout of the replacement fleet.”

An additional $14.7 million is being invested in the year to July 2025, $8.2 million by Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora and $6.5 million by ACC, to enable the providers to replace nine ageing helicopters with newer aircraft.

“One of the replacement air ambulance helicopters, a second-hand aircraft, has been in operation in Tauranga from mid-last year, this Waikato helicopter is the first of the new helicopters to come from overseas,” Ms Costello says.

The next replacement aircraft will be a near-new helicopter currently being fitted out that is likely to be operational in Auckland from mid-April. Two further second-hand aircraft are expected to arrive in New Zealand at the end of May and will enter service with Northern Rescue based in Auckland and Whangarei.

“Our air ambulance services do great work and it’s important that the helicopter fleet is upgraded,” Ms Costello says. “Health NZ and ACC are also redesigning the aeromedical operating model to make the best use of air ambulance resources, and the $128 million of rotary wing air ambulance funding provided by the Government for the last financial year.”

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