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The pictures of helicopters shown on the leaflets and website of "Air Ambulance Service" (AAS)

Related pages (including this page)

Introduction

To quote the cliché: "A picture is worth a thousand words".  This is certainly the case with the pictures of helicopters used by AAS.  The images have been a crucial part of their scam.

On this page we analyse the photos in detail - and conclude that they can play a key role in efforts to stop AAS's activities.

The research and level of detail may seem to be overkill to you - but this sort of forensic detail might be essential if it went to court - to prove the case "beyond any reasonable doubt".

Bear in mind that genuine air ambulance charities have been losing thousands of pounds in donations because of the activities of AAS.

1.  The yellow helicopter shown on AAS's leaflets

Summary

The image is misleading - it's a photograph of the emergency helicopter used by Essex Air Ambulance charity until June 2010.  Details of this are given below - together with the implications for taking legal action against AAS.  In reality :

• AAS have no air ambulances/aircraft.
• AAS do not operate an emergency service.
• AAS are a limited company.  They're not a charity.  It seems they have no connections with charities and it seems they don't give any of their income to charities.

The image on their leaflets

The image above shows the top of a clothing collection leaflet distributed by AAS - in mid-2010.

See the bottom of the page for an image of the complete leaflet. 

To see more detail of the image, you can enlarge either (a) the image above, or (b) the image of the complete leaflet (at the bottom of the page).  To enlarge it:

• With some programs (eg web browsers) hold down the Control key while rotating the scroll wheel of the mouse.
• Alternatively, right-click and save the image to a file - then open it in any photo-editing program.

Source:  The image comes from an article on the website of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance charity (HIOWAA) - headed "Generous donors feel misled" (dated 2 June 2010).  Our thanks to the charity.  See the charity's website:
www.hiow-airambulance.org.uk/post.cfm/generous-donors-feel-misled  

What type of helicopter is shown?

The yellow helicopter is a Eurocopter EC135 model (made in Bavaria, Germany).
This twin-engine aircraft is one of the most common types of helicopter used by emergency air ambulance charities in the UK.  See:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocopter_EC135  
• www.AirAmbulanceAssociation.co.uk  
• www.ukemergencyaviation.co.uk  

Appearance :

• The distinctive yellow in the photograph is the standard colour used by several UK air ambulance charities (and other emergency services).
• The horizontal chequered pattern (of alternating squares) is used by various air ambulances (and by other emergency services including the police and fire service).
• The combination of yellow with a green chequered pattern is used as the most common design for NHS road ambulances.

Thus, the impression is being given by AAS that they operate (and/or help fund) an emergency air ambulance service - either a charity or a government service.  However, they don't operate this type of service - so it's misleading.

Who operates the helicopter shown?

The helicopter shown on AAS's leaflets is the Essex Air Ambulance charity's helicopter (a Eurocopter EC135 T2, registration mark G-SSXX) - which was in service from May 2003 to June 2010.

On 29 June 2010, it was transferred to NW Air Ambulance charity (NWAA) - and registered as G-NWEM.  See the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website:
www.caa.co.uk/ ... regmark=NWEM  

There are numerous photos of the Essex helicopter on the Internet.  One good, large photo is on the website of "Air-Scene UK".  It's taken from a similar angle (by Garry Lakin).  See: www.airsceneuk.org.uk/airshow04/southend/ec135.htm  *

There are several pieces of evidence which support this identification.  In particular, the chequered pattern of green squares on AAS's photo matches exactly those on photos of the Essex helicopter - for example the number of squares (upper row: 16, lower row: 17), their size, position and the truncated shape of the square in the lower row at the rear (RHS).  Also, the green underbelly of the machine matches.

Editing - It seems that the photo used by AAS has been edited.  The original photo would have included the name of the ambulance ("Essex ... " etc) - which was painted on the aircraft in two places on both sides.  It appears that these names have been removed (using software such as Adobe Photoshop).

The tail of the aircraft - This is not visible in AAS's photo - so its Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) registration mark can't be checked.

The original photo - So far on Google, we haven't found the original photo used by AAS.  However, someone may recognise it in due course.  This would help matters.

Confirmation of the assertions made above

a) Evidence from Essex Air Ambulance charity

The charity have examined the photo on AAS's leaflet - and they've confirmed that it was their aircraft.  We are grateful to Essex AA for their help.

See the website of the Essex charity :

www.essexairambulance.uk.com/YourHelicopter/Gallery/tabid/76/language/en-GB/Default.aspx   (see the bottom RHS - images of their old helicopter - the EC135)

Also see various other similar photos of the Essex helicopter including :

http://localessexphotos.com/web-photos-hq/air-ambulance.jpg  

It helps if you "mirror" it first (in a photo-editing program) - so it faces to the left.

(b) Evidence from the helicopter's manufacturer (Eurocopter)

Eurocopter UK have kindly investigated the issue.  For example, they checked their archive of photographs, including images of the Essex helicopter.  In relation to the helicopter shown on AAS's leaflets, our understanding is that Eurocopter have concluded that:

• The yellow helicopter is a Eurocopter EC135, made by them.
• It's an emergency air ambulance.
• Several EC135-model emergency air ambulances in the UK are yellow - and some have green chequer squares.
• However, the specific pattern of green chequer squares shown on AAS's leaflet is unique to this Essex helicopter.
• It's the Essex Air Ambulance helicopter - registration number G-SSXX.
• The photograph has been edited to remove the name of Essex AA.

We're grateful to Eurocopter UK for their help.

Legal implications - enforcement

These conclusions regarding the nature and identity of the helicopter on the leaflets of AAS, reinforce the case against AAS - showing that their leaflets are misleading, because :

• They show an emergency air ambulance.
• It's an air ambulance belonging to a specific English local air ambulance charity (Essex).

However, the services which AAS allege they'll provide are completely different.

This has legal implications regarding enforcement, as follows:

• Unlicensed clothing collections by AAS: In respect of the House to House Collections Act 1939, it would make it more likely that a magistrates' court would consider that the AAS leaflets indicate that they are collecting for a "charitable, philanthropic or benevolent" purpose - thus needing a licence.  AAS have no licences, so they could be prosecuted wherever they collect (by the licensing departments of local councils).  See:
  - The law on charitable house-to-house collections
  - A clothing collection: Does it need a collection licence?
• Trading Standards, the police and the Office of Fair Trading would be more likely to succeed in any legal action - for example regarding the misleading nature of the collection leaflets and/or website.
• The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) would be more likely to uphold complaints about the clothing collection leaflets.

Other misleading aspects

• The use by AAS of helicopter images per se is misleading because:
  • The repatriation service which AAS allege their members will be able to use, would normally involve using cheaper, fixed-wing aircraft - especially scheduled flights, or road ambulances.  See for example the Daily Telegraph article on this by Peter Pallot (the paragraph beginning "Juan Pena Nunez ..."):  www.telegraph.co.uk/health/expathealth/7898825/Expat-health-care-who-do-you-rely-on-in-your-darkest-hour.html  
  • So far, AAS have no helicopters (or other aircraft).
• The use by AAS of pictures of emergency vehicles is misleading - AAS's small print indicates that the service proposed will be a non-emergency repatriation service.

2.  The helicopters shown on the website of AAS

Their website: www.AirAmbulanceService.org.uk  

(i) Upper photo (red-and-white aircraft)

This is a Bell 407 (or a very similar model) - made in the US.  This is a single-engine machine.  This is not legal for use by air ambulances in the UK because it has only one engine.

The belly of the helicopter shown has a prominent white cross in a red circle - presumably indicating medical use.

A search of Google found the original photo used by AAS - on the iStockphoto website, on the following page :

www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-1921730-helicopter-in-flight.php  

This web page on the iStockphoto site has a list of keywords for the image, as follows:

• "Helicopter, Air Ambulance, Rescue, Emergency Services, Healthcare And Medicine, Urgency, Rescue Services, Occupation, Hospital, Transportation, Team, Flying, Mid-Air, Teamwork, Working, Occupation."

Every aspect of this original photo matches the one used by AAS - including the pattern of clouds in the sky.

(ii) Lower photo (white aircraft)

This is a "Eurocopter EC135 par hermes" model ('L'Hélicoptère par Hermès).  This is a rare deluxe version of the EC135, with the interior designed in conjunction with "Hermes" - a French luxury fashion house.  For example it has expensive leather seats.  It's not used by air ambulances - it's sold to the rich - for example in the Middle East.  It wouldn't be suitable for use as an air ambulance - because of its type of interior and high cost.

A search of Google found the original photo used by AAS - which has been photo-edited by creating an oval fade-vignette.  The original photo can be seen on several websites, including the following (the image filename is "hph02.jpg"):

http://cricketwealthnyc.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/  

3. Clothing collection leaflet from "Air Ambulance Service" (AAS)