LAST night, the Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance (WBAA) helicopter made an emergency landing at St Mary's School playing field in Calne to assist South West Ambulance services with a private medical emergency.
The Bell 429 helicopter was seen and heard coming in to land at St Mary's School playing field at 10.20pm last night. They took off again at about 11.30pm.
Several residents in nearby Lansdowne Estate reported smelling a strong smell of fuel during the landing and subsequent take-off. One enthusiast followed the flight path of the chopper on Flight Radar as it made it's way out of Calne, noting that they had taken 'a peculiar route back to base in Semington'.
We contacted WBAA today to check all was well with the helicopter and crew.
Adam Baker, Dep. Director of Communications and Supporter Engagement told us: "All is well with our helicopter.
"We were attending a medical incident in Calne last night, treating a patient for a trauma injury. The ambulance service conveyed the patient by land.
"En route back to the base we took the opportunity to make a landing at Devizes Police HQ, which is part of our NVIS (night vision) training requirements.
"As for the strong smell of fuel, this is very normal I’m afraid. It only takes the wind to blowing in the wrong direction and it can be funnelled through an entire street. We catch it quite a lot here at the base when the windows are open in the summer months! Hope that reassures and answers all of your readers’ queries."
At least the smell of aviation fuel made a pleasant change from the other smells Calne has been experiencing!
Photo: WAA
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