Yorkshire Air Ambulance advertises pilot position with nearly £80,000 annual salary

An air ambulance crew position, offering a starting annual salary approaching £80,000, has been announced. The Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity confirmed that the chosen pilot would operate one of its Airbus H145 helicopters. The advertisement specifies that the role will be situated at RAF Topcliffe, close to Thirsk, which is one of the operational bases for the charity within Yorkshire. Owen McTeggart, the chief pilot for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, informed BBC Radio York that he typically conducts between 30 and 40 flights weekly, adding that “no day is exactly the same”. Distinct from the majority of other UK air ambulance services, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance directly hires pilots for its helicopters, operating under its proprietary Air Operator’s Certificate. This service extends its coverage to a population of five million individuals. In addition to its RAF Topcliffe base, the service also operates from a location at Nostell Priory, near Wakefield. The charity, which requires £19,000 daily for its operations, stated that any accident scene where its helicopter lands is within a 20-minute maximum travel time to a Major Trauma Centre. Mr. McTeggart, previously a Staff Sergeant, served as a military pilot for 17 years, having enlisted in the Army at the age of 16. He recounted, “After years of getting wet and cold, I decided to try helicopters – and luckily I passed my exams.” At 40 years old, he retired from the armed forces and subsequently joined the Air Ambulance in the Lake District, prior to relocating to Yorkshire five years ago. He described the role as consistently challenging, elaborating: “Some of the most challenging call-outs are in the more rural areas of Yorkshire, even those that at first seem simple, such as a suspected broken ankle.” Mr. McTeggart indicated that the incoming pilot, whose yearly salary is £79,732, should ideally possess a minimum of 10 years of flying experience, including extensive time operating helicopters in comparable environments. The charity introduced two new helicopters last year, acquired through £15 million in public donations. These Airbus H145 D3 helicopters represent the first of their model in the UK and were described as “fantastic” by Mr. McTeggart. “They almost fly themselves, to be honest. They can do automated take-off – which really helps the pilots at night spot other hazards, such as overhead power lines,” he stated. The Yorkshire Air Ambulance operates entirely on contributions from individuals and organizations, and as an independent charitable entity, its only external assistance comes from the secondment of paramedics by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust. The charity also specified that the successful applicant must have accumulated at least 1,500 hours as a pilot-in-command of an aircraft and either reside in or be willing to move to the Yorkshire region.