Questions the Junior Crew have asked:

Q. what is the easiest way to be a pilot A. Hi Samuel. It's Rob Mackie, Senior Pilot for the Exeter based helicopter here... To answer the question posed there is no easy way to become a pilot. Like driving a car, you have to learn ‘how to fly’. This can be done through a flying school / club, BUT, it will involve a lot of commitment both in time and money. Flying lessons aren’t cheap! And learning to fly helicopters is even more expensive and time consuming. Most Air Ambulance pilots are from the military, which is where we learned to fly. However, if you go that route there is a BIG time commitment in that you will have to do so many years service and, unless you join the RAF specifically as a pilot, there is no guarantee that you will actually get to go flying at all! Having said all that, if it’s something you really want to do then go for it. You CAN do anything if you set your heart and mind to it. Q. How did you join as a medic or as a piolt in the Air Ambulance? Thank you From Charles Roberts A. Hi Charles - I'm Paul Robinson, paramedic on the Exeter based G-DVAA. I joined the ambulance service in oxford and trained to be a paramedic there . After 5 years I transferred to work down in Cornwall for about 18 months then moved up to Devon and started work in Exeter as a land ambulance paramedic . After 4 more years working in Exeter I applied to work on the Devon air ambulance unfortunately I did not get the job on that occasion !! . So I had to wait another 4 years before I had another opportunity to apply to join the team on the air ambulance , I was successful on this occasion although still had to pass a two week HEMS course . The course went well and I passed so started on the air ambulance , this was not the end of all the extra training it was just beginning !!! So after lot of extra training I became a member of the Devon air ambulance . We as a team here do training every day when we are at work so we can practice and practice again to get better and better at our job so we can give the best possible care to the patients we treat . If I was just starting in a career now to be a paramedic I would have to go to university and do a course in medicine which would take 4 years to obtain, there are tailored made courses specially for paramedics then after this course you would have to work as a land paramedic for approximately 4 years to get some really Good experience as an emergency medic before you could apply to join the air ambulance. What ever you decide to do Charles I wish you all the very best mate Q. What is the average speed of an air ambulance and also do they ever have nurses on a helicopter ?? thank you from Charles Roberts A. Thanks for your question Charles. I'm Nigel Hare, CSO for the Exeter based helicopter. In answer to your question the air ambulances in Devon have a top speed of 140 knots, which is about 160 miles per hour. This is the speed we ‘cruise’ at when flying to incidents or when flying the patient to hospital. Most air ambulances do not have flight nurses as part of their crew. To my knowledge, the only flight nurse in the UK works on the Kent Air Ambulance.” Q. is it easy flying the helicopter? A. Thanks for your question Harrison. It's Rob Mackie, Senior Pilot on the Exeter helicopter here. In answer to your question Like most things, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. So....is it easy to fly a helicopter? It can be, but only after you have learnt to fly one first, which is very difficult. After you have learnt to fly a helicopter you have to keep practising until it becomes second nature. This is not the same as being ‘easy’. After loads of practice and experience, it does become easier, but it is also something that you can never take for granted. Flying is inherently dangerous (when things go wrong) and if you get to the stage when you think that this is easy to do, then that’s the time you should stop flying, because you are becoming a danger to yourself. Flying helicopters is a very rewarding job and can be fun at times. You should fly relaxed and within your capabilities (you’ll soon get to know what they are!). If you are outside of your limits, that’s when it becomes potentially dangerous. There is a well known saying in the aviation world that says – A superior Pilot is one that uses his superior knowledge to avoid situations where he might have to use his superior skill! Hope that answers your question. :-) Q. you fly over my house when you go to barnstaple hospital can you can you make the helicopter wiggle to say hello please? A. Hi Mitchell. Sadly we can't, but make sure you wave, and even if you can't see the crew, rest assured they will wave back :-)