WALES Air Ambulance crews have already saved countless lives and the service they provide has become a vital feature in the country’s emergency services. 

Now Powys and Wales is to benefit from another aircraft and an even more improved service.

It will mean Wales is set to become the biggest air ambulance operation in the UK, with a fourth air ambulance helicopter, an EC135T2e, joining the fleet.

During and after the flight I spoke to pilots and paramedics to get their take on the charity funded aircraft that could save countless lives.

Paramedic Andrew Williams said: “It is so useful to have another craft such as this one.

“It shows the importance people put on air ambulances by donating to the charity.”

But this is no press jolly, this flight has a serious mission to promote the work done by the Wales Air Ambulance, without whom some of those they have rescued over the years might well be dead.

We arrive at the Lake within minutes, similar times it takes crafts based in Llanelli, Cardiff or Caernarfon to reach a patient in Welshpool.

15 minutes from Caernarfon and 25 from Llanelli, some pretty impressive times.

Scanning over Lake Vyrnwy you get to appreciate how impressive these crafts are. We swooped low and high over the vast water, feeling like 007 on a mission.

From there we headed back to the base with our 20 minute flight complete, but throughout the journey I began to appreciate what these things do.

Every so often you end up putting 20p or £1 in a WAA box, but never think about what it buys or what it pays for.

If that isn’t value for money I don’t know what is.