NishiNippon Airlines (Nishi-Nippon Kuyu)

NishiNippon Airlines, known in Japanese as Nishi-Nippon Kuyu, is a helicopter company based in Fukuoka, Japan. It flies doctor helicopters for emergency medical care and it owns and operates its own aircraft. The company is part of the Kyuden Group.

Services

The Doctor Heli helicopter is stationed at a hospital. When the fire service asks for it, a specialist emergency doctor and a nurse fly to the scene. They give treatment on site and move the patient to a hospital as fast as possible. The company says the aim is to improve survival and reduce long term effects.

The company runs this service every day of the year. It also does disaster response, news gathering, cargo transport and power line patrol.

Coverage area

NishiNippon Airlines runs Doctor Heli service for five prefectures in Kyushu: Fukuoka, Saga, Kumamoto, Oita and Miyazaki. Requests come from local fire services, not from the public.

Who it is for

The service is for people who are badly hurt or suddenly very ill, and who are far from a hospital. It is not a private air ambulance that travellers can book. Anyone in these five prefectures who needs urgent help should call the emergency number in Japan.

Aircraft

The Doctor Heli page names three helicopter types: the BK117 C-1, the BK117 C-2 and the Bell 429. The company fleet list on its home page also includes the AS350, Bell 427, Bell 412, AW169 and AW139.

Facts

• Type: helicopter operator running doctor helicopter service for prefectures
• Base named on the Doctor Heli page: Fukuoka Base, Fukuoka
• Parent: Kyuden Group
• Service: every day of the year
• Site language: Japanese