Bulgaria’s first emergency medical helicopter arrived (video)

The first helicopter of the newly established Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) has arrived in Bulgaria. After a successful solo flight from Italy to Bulgaria, with stopovers, the machine landed today, February 1, at the Border Police base at the capital's airport, where it will be temporarily deployed. The machine was welcomed by Transport and Communications Minister, Georgi Gvozdeykov, and other officials.

The machine was piloted by an Italian crew. It was manufactured by the Leonardo company and was acquired with European funding.

The helicopter is the first of the total six that were financed under the Recovery and Resilience Plan. According to the schedule, the second helicopter, scheduled for the operational base in Dolna Mitropolia, should arrive at the end of June this year, and the third machine, which will be available at the operational base in Sliven, is expected in December. The remaining air ambulances will arrive in stages until 2026.

The first six Bulgarian pilots, who have completed their training in Italy, have already received their certificates. A total of 36 pilots and 14 engineers are expected to work in the air ambulance system. There will also be medics on board who are already undergoing the relevant training. In February, the machine is already expected to take part in real rescue missions.

PM presents certificates to the first pilots of air ambulance helicopters in Bulgaria

According to Transport Minister, Georgi Gvozdeykov, Bulgaria will soon have a total of eight hospital heliports. We already have three registered sites in St. Anna Hospital in Sofia, Uni Hospital - Panagyurishte and St. Marina Hospital in Varna. Currently, DG CAA is reviewing the documents of five more hospitals, two in Sofia and one each in Rousse, Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo.

The first helipad in Sofia is now part of the helicopter emergency medical service

Images by BTA

A total of six operational bases of the future air ambulance system are expected to be built on the territory of the country, and their location makes it possible for two helicopters to reach any point of the country at the same time, respecting the "golden hour" rule.

Source: BTA