Today marks the end of an era with Air495 – the shared Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police helicopter – touching down at Essendon airport following its final operational flight this morning. The aircraft, also known as Air495, has provided 24-hour emergency air ambulance capabilities to Victorians for more than 30 years since launching in 1986.
I'm saddened by the news of Air 495's retirement. Have worked under it in retrievals in the Grampians when I was an SES member. All things must come to an end I'm afraid.
It's not over in regards to the whole operation, just that Air 495 (HEMS1) the shared asset will now be entirely VicPol crewed and Police tasked and HEMS1 in a new asset will now be entirely AV.
Uncertain if Air 495 (VicPol c/s) will get a new 49# callsign.
Noticed the air wing just came up as "Air490" before correcting themselves and identifying as "Polair 30" - seems to be that they've changed the structure of the call signs recently.
Thanks for that, so it was on their VHF Network. It's interesting how he corrects from Air 490 to Pol Air 30 on a network where Air 490 would normally be correct. Maybe you're right and they are dumping the Air 490, 474 etc prefix and numerics and just going with the air band allocation as an only option.
Pumper_50 wrote:Thanks for that, so it was on their VHF Network. It's interesting how he corrects from Air 490 to Pol Air 30 on a network where Air 490 would normally be correct. Maybe you're right and they are dumping the Air 490, 474 etc prefix and numerics and just going with the air band allocation as an only option.
Time will tell. Nice catch.
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Perhaps they are standardising like in WA where the Airwing is known as Polair 61 etc
From memory each state has a Polair ## allocation in line with various agreed standards and requirements. Tassie has Polair 72.
From another post I commented on regarding same subject.
I actually think it does technically exist already.
That is why here in Victoria we have Pol-Air 30 thru to Pol-Air 35 on airband. They originally came about via what was then CASA. Same with Media.
Many years when I was up in the Melbourne Airport Control Tower they had a list under a clear Perspex sheet stuck on a desk.
One was for TV helo callsigns and the VicPol Pol-Air ones, they also had some ones listed for interstate Pol-Air units. I was told by the staff then each state is supposed to use Pol-Air as a prefix followed by a number that matches their state.
Probably the same old story in that it exists but not practiced due to some not liking to change their habits so it's now become a bit of an unknown
