Jet suit paramedic could become a world first with the Great North Air Ambulance

A collaboration between the charity, which covers the North East, and Gravity Industries has resulted in a test flight.

The test at the Langdale Pikes in the Lakes saw Gravity Industries founder and Chief Test Pilot Richard Browning fly from the valley bottom to a simulated casualty site on The Band, near Bowfell, and follows years of talks.

The simulated casualty site would take around 25 minutes to reach by foot, but the suit is able to cover the distance in 90 seconds.

Andy Mawson, director of operations and paramedic at GNAAS, identified the Lakes as a possible location for a jet suit paramedic after hearing of Mr Browning’s work and then studying the charity’s own call-out data.

He said: “It showed dozens of patients every month within the complex but relatively small geographical footprint of the Lakes.

“We could see the need. What we didn’t know for sure is how this would work in practice.

"Well we’ve seen it now and it is, quite honestly, awesome.”

Mr Mawson said the exercise had demonstrated the huge potential of utilising jet suits to deliver critical care services.

He added: “In a time in healthcare when we are exhausted with Covid and its effects, it’s important to still push the boundaries.

“Our aircraft will remain a vital part of the emergency response in this terrain, as will the fantastic mountain rescue teams. But this is about looking at supplementing those resources with something completely new.

“We think this technology could enable our team to reach some patients much quicker than ever before.

"In many cases this would ease the patient’s suffering. In some cases, it would save their lives.”

Mr Browning added: “We are just scratching the surface in terms of what is possible to achieve with our technology.”

GNAAS – which can only survive thanks to donations – and Gravity Industries would like to thank Langdale Mountain Rescue Team, the National Trust, Stool End Farm and Cumbria Police for their part in making the test possible.

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