As an acknowledgment of the job done by the medical staff whose jobs relate to the air ambulance service across the three counties, TVAC invited a nurse, a receptionist and an accident & emergency doctor to represent the region's main hospitals as the helicopter's first passengers.

The EC135 Eurocopter is the helicopter of choice for the emergency services providing a wide range of benefits over the existing air ambulance. It will be acquired on a lease from Bond Air Services which will be taken over by TVAC and is expected to go into service in July 2008.

TVAC Chairman of Trustees, Colin Lee said: "It had been suggested to us that we should invite a celebrity to officiate at the launch. On reflection, we decided that the helicopter is the real star of the show and by inviting members of the medical profession to be the first passengers, we were not only showing our commitment and appreciation of what they do, we were giving everyone the chance to speak with them about their work.

"The arrival of this new helicopter marks a significant new era in the development of the Air Ambulance service in our region.

"It will greatly improve our ability to deliver fast and effective emergency medical care and amongst its many benefits and improved features is increased capacity enabling a carer, like a concerned mother, to accompany a patient to hospital.

"Along with a new, technically advanced aircraft comes greater responsibility and greater demands on the staff at TVAC to maintain and increase fund-raising to ensure that we are always able to always provide the very best service to the general public."