Operation Airbase

Help us Save Time and Save Lives

About the Operation Airbase Appeal

In February 2024, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance announced ambitions plans to centralise the airbase. The critical care team currently operate from the airbase in Thruxton, Andover – in the north west of the county. The proposed move was to a site near Southampton Airport.

Following an extensive public consultation, the planning application was approved by Eastleigh Borough Council, with support from Southampton City Council, Southampton Airport and the local community in July.

The charity now seeks raise the £3.6 million needed to rebuild and equip the site in George Curl Way to make it fit for operational purposes.

The industrial unit has been used as a factory and offices for several years. While some of the building (mostly the office space) is suitable, the charity needs to raise vital funds for the helipad, hangar doors, crew rooms, training suit and other facilities required by the teams, such as medical stores, showers and locker rooms.

The impact

Following an extensive data analysis, we know that the move to Southampton will put us at the heart of more than 70% of our call-outs, allowing our teams to be refueled, restocked and ready to respond to the next emergency call-out far quicker than from our current base.

The flight times from the proposed new site will mean we are able to fly to the majority of our community within 10 minutes. The map below shows the difference in our flight times from the current airbase in Thruxton (blue circles) and from the new site (red circles).

The new airbase is just 70 metres from the M27, and close to the M3, which as well as being closer to the majority of patients, will allow our teams of doctors, dispatchers and paramedics to better utilise the fleet of emergency response vehicles alongside our aircraft.

This map shows the distance we can travel by road in 20 minutes from our current airbase (in blue) and from the new airbase (in red)

We know that this move can make a big difference to our community, because we’ll be saving time and saving more lives.
How we can help

Please consider making a donation to our Operation Airbase appeal to help us make a new hangar our home!

You could also consider fundraising for our appeal. We have lots of fundraising ideas and events you can participate in, such as our Ride of Champions cycle challenge.