London Helicopter Guide
London's Air Ambulance in London

Who flies in London

London's Air Ambulance

A doctor-paramedic helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for London; helicopter by day, rapid response cars at night or in poor weather.

Hero image: Photo: Matthew Bell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A doctor-paramedic helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) for London; helicopter by day, rapid response cars at night or in poor weather.

2,058patients treated in 2024 (51 more than in 2023)
6patients a day on average

The aircraft

Two Airbus H135s, G-LAAA 'Amy' and G-LAAB 'Beth', in service since 1 October 2024; red Volvo XC90 rapid response cars (page says both eight and nine).

Where they fly from

Operates from the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel (charity address 77 Mansell Street E1 8AN). Helipad height: not stated on the fleet page.

London's Air Ambulance helicopter at Tower Bridge
London's Air Ambulance helicopter at Tower BridgePhoto: Matthew Bell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to tell them apart

H135s with registrations G-LAAA / G-LAAB; livery colours not stated on the page; rapid response cars are red.

Exemptions

The CAA treats police, air ambulance (HEMS), search and rescue and military flights as exempt public-safety users in its London data, and says NPAS and HEMS multi-engine helicopters may fly lower or hold over specific locations. See how low helicopters may fly.

Sourced facts

Helicopter operates from 08:00 to sunset; rapid response cars operate at night or in adverse weather. Source
Two H135 helicopters, G-LAAA 'Amy' and G-LAAB 'Beth', in service since 1 October 2024; top speed 252 km/h; endurance about 1 h 30 min; two Safran Arrius 2B2 engines. Source
Pilots need a landing area of about 80 ft by 80 ft. Source
The charity reports 2,031 patients treated in 2025 (patients, not missions); an average of six patients a day; 95% of funding from public support; founded 1989. Source
Tasking method: not stated on the pages fetched. Source

Pictures

London's Air Ambulance Airbus H135 helicopters G-LAAA and G-LAAB
London's Air Ambulance Airbus H135 helicopters G-LAAA and G-LAABPhoto: Steve Knight from Halstead, United Kingdom, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
London's Air Ambulance MD902 Explorer G-EHMS
London's Air Ambulance MD902 Explorer G-EHMSPhoto: Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources and checks

Facts on this page come from these sources, last checked 2026-11-03. Where a source could not be reached or did not say, we left the fact out.

  1. londonsairambulance.org.uk londonsairambulance.org.uk
  2. londonsairambulance.org.uk londonsairambulance.org.uk
  3. londonsairambulance.org.uk londonsairambulance.org.uk