Local Iwi Influences And Design Talent Showcased In New Livery Of Hawke’s Bay Air Ambulance

The New Zealand Air Ambulance Service (NZAAS) and Skyline
Aviation today re-launched its King Air B200C air ambulance
that services Hawke’s Bay hospital, following an extensive
five month upgrade programme. Alongside avionic
enhancements, this included an interior retrofit and new
livery featuring design created by local design talent,
reflecting the aircraft’s Māori name Te Manu Atawhai,
bird of care.

Local artist Tim Whaitiri-Henderson,
with support and guidance from Chris Bryant-Toi at the EIT|
Te Pūkenga IDEAschool in Taradale, worked with local iwi
and Kaumatua, Tiwana Aranui to design a narrative of the
Pacific ancestor, Māui and the kōkako bird. According to
legend, kōkako filled their blue wattles with water to
provide relief to Māui while he fought with the sun,
Tamanui-i-te Rā. Inspired by this tradition, Tim visually
acknowledges kōkako as a ‘manu atawhai’ or avian aid
providing health care and wellbeing within a Māui spiral
that counters adversity.

New Zealand Air Ambulance
Service CEO Annabel Toogood says the new design in
particular marks a major milestone for this aircraft, which
has safely transported thousands of patients across Aotearoa
since it began servicing Hawke’s Bay hospital in
2008.

“We’re delighted to have new livery design
that symbolises cultural inclusion and reflects the work the
aircraft does in safely transporting patients throughout the
country, at a time when these attributes are a key focus for
an evolving health sector under the new Health New Zealand
and The Māori Health authority,” says Ms
Toogood.

The wider improvements to Te Manu Atawhai
include the installation of enhanced avionics and a
dedicated dual ICU “Lifeport” aeromedical interior
enabling the team to deliver intensive care in the air with
the ability to accommodate two ICU stretchers or
incubators.

“We have future-proofed this aircraft
with the latest technology to ensure it continues to provide
Hawke’s Bay with the best possible service and standard of
care. Our close partnership with Hawke’s Bay hospital
allows us to continue to build our capability locally to
meet the demands of what is the busiest air ambulance base
in the country,” says Ms Toogood.

Founded over 30
years ago, Skyline Aviation is a market-leading and
standard-setting air ambulance service, providing air
ambulance and related services across New Zealand, the
Pacific and globally.

“We are committed to
continuing to invest in the latest technology, growing our
fleet of aircraft, and dispatching the right team, at the
right time, with the right equipment to ensure the best
patient outcomes,” says Annabel
Toogood.

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