The Wales Air Ambulance Charity has unveiled its new aircraft, which has been named by the people of Wales.

In 2022, the Charity underwent a rebrand and the latest H145 carries the new design. During the summer, Charity supporters were given the opportunity to name the helicopter. They took part in an online vote to choose their preferred aircraft registration from a list of five options. The clear winner was G-LOYW, which means bright or shining in Welsh.

Earlier this year, Wales Air Ambulance announced that Gama Aviation Plc had successfully bid for a seven-year aviation contract, which covers the operation and maintenance of a primary fleet of four Airbus H145 helicopters. Currently, the service has three H145 helicopters and one smaller H135 helicopter. As part of the new contract, the H135 aircraft will be upgraded to a H145, giving the Charity a consistent fleet of advanced helicopters to deliver Wales’ vital air ambulance service. G-LOYW will join the existing fleet of H145s by the end of 2023.