site.btaFirst Bulgarian Medical Helicopter Is Ready - Transport Minister

The first Bulgarian medical helicopter is ready, Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov said on Nova TV on Wednesday. "Next week a Bulgarian pilot and an engineer are leaving for Italy to receive the machine and we have the assurance of our Italian colleagues-manufacturers that by the end of January the machine will be in Bulgaria," Gvozdeikov added.

This will be the first of six machines ordered. The transport minister recalled that the parliament has adopted a budget for the purchase of two more helicopters, so there will be a total of eight helicopters in the country.

The medical equipment complies with all standards for emergency care, Gvozdeikov added. "I can say that, apart from the medical point of view, these helicopters have avionics that are the latest generation in aviation, so Bulgaria gets probably the best equipment in the world that is on the market," he said.

According to the Minister, by early February, there will be eight sites licensed as helicopter pads and the total number of potential sites across the country is 28.

Earlier today, the Minister visited the Burshen Airport in Sliven, where the third temporary base for the air ambulance will be located. The third helicopter will operate there and is expected to arrive at the end of 2024. The other operational bases are located in Sofia, Plovdiv, Targovishte, Dolna Mitropolia and Gabrovnitsa.