site.btaFirst Helicopter from HEMS Air Support System Arrives in Bulgaria

The first helicopter from the newly established Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) system has already arrived in Bulgaria. After a successful solo flight from Italy to Bulgaria, with multiple stopovers, the machine landed on Thursday at the Border Police base at the capital's airport, where it will be temporarily stationed. The helicopter's arrival  was attended by Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeikov and other officials.

The helicopter was piloted by an Italian crew, with Bulgarian representatives on board. The machine was manufactured by the Leonardo company and was acquired with European funding.

The helicopter is the first of a total of six. According to the schedule, the second helicopter planned for the Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base will arrive at the end of June 2024, and the third one is expected in December. The remaining helicopters will arrive in stages by 2026.

The first six Bulgarian pilots who completed training in Italy have already received their brevets, certificates of flying ability. They were handed to them personally by Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov at a ceremony in December.

A total of 36 pilots and 14 engineers are expected to work in the air ambulance system. On board the helicopter there will also be medical personnel who are already undergoing the relevant training. In February, the helicopter will participate in real rescue missions.

Minister of Transport Georgi Gvozdeikov said that Bulhgaria will soon have a total of eight hospital heliports. There are already three registered sites - in Sofia, Panagyurishte and Varna. Currently, the Civil Aviation Administration General Directorate is examining the documents of five more hospitals, two of which are in Sofia and one each in Ruse, Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo.

A total of six operational bases of the future air emergency 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, observing the "golden hour" rule [which stipulates that an injured or sick person must receive definitive treatment within the first 60 minutes from the time of injury or appearance of symptoms].

The helicopter will be officially presented on February 2 in the presence of Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, Health Minister Hristo Hinkov, Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeikov, Deputy Health Minister Ilko Getov and others.