From seconds to death, to ‘until death do us part’: helicopters help lives go on

On 31 May 2009, Dan Richards nearly died in a motorcycle accident. Fourteen years later to the day, his life changed again. Since his accident, Richards has learned to fly planes, qualified as a scuba diver, trained to row across the Atlantic, competed in the 2018 Invictus Games and much more. Now a motivational speaker, he recognises that none of this would have been possible without the helicopter that got him to hospital before it was too late. “My accident occurred [at either] a 45-minute land ambulance journey to the hospital or a 6-minute flight,” says Richards. “The severity of my injuries meant that had I been taken to the hospital via land ambulance, I would have died on the way. My injury load was so significant that Eoin Walker, who was my paramedic, was convinced that I would even die in the helicopter.”

Making the difference

Today, Eoin Walker is the EMS promoter at Airbus Helicopters. His 20 years of experience as a paramedic with 10 as a flight paramedic, provide crucial insight for his work. “Medical professionals talk about the Golden Hour – the 60-minute period of time immediately following major trauma,” explains Walker. “A patient reaching a hospital within this window is more likely to have a positive outcome. Obviously in such circumstances helicopters can mean the difference between life and death. Airbus Helicopters is the market leader for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations,” explains Walker, highlighting how the company’s helicopters go beyond their intrinsic time-saving advantages. By enhancing the medical cabin with a variety of equipment options, greater flexibility, and improved connectivity, a hospital is, to a degree, flying to the patient. These features all increase the chance of a patient’s survival and improve the prospects of a good recovery. “How helicopters are used for this vital medical care can vary quite significantly worldwide, but the constant is that Airbus products are the preferred choice,” notes Walker, pointing to features such as the capability of being airborne within two minutes, an attribute that makes a difference when every second counts. 

Authored on

Thu, 02/26/2026 - 09:09

Airbus Helicopters’ emergency medical services promoter, Eoin Walker

Worldwide support

The current backbone of Airbus’ medical fleet are the H145 and H135. With more than 700 H135 and more than 550 H145 helicopters currently flying HEMS missions, they are proven machines. “These helicopters deliver what HEMS operators need,” states Walker. “They are compact enough to reach patients almost anywhere, they are quick, efficient and reliable and even their downwash is minimal, which contributes to greater patient safety.” Walker believes that the H140 and the H160 are going to offer more options and possibilities to medical operators. “We designed the H140 hand in hand with our community of HEMS operators,” says Walker. “With an optimised medical cabin, that is fully modulable and can be specifically tailored by each operator, it is going to support medical staff and, most importantly, make a huge difference to patients. Then you have the speed, size and range of the H160, which is going to allow more equipment in the cabin, enhancing the sophistication of medical procedures and, ultimately, increasing patient care.”

Authored on

Thu, 02/26/2026 - 09:21

Airbus H140 HEMS demonstration

Life changing

Since his accident, Richards has been a strong advocate for the value of HEMS operations, inspiring medical practitioners and stakeholders with his story. Thanks to rapid intervention, Richards’s accident was not his last day on earth. His subsequent accomplishments as a speaker are a testament to the value of the lifesaving work undertaken by doctors, nurses and paramedics. One of these talks even introduced Richards to the love of his life. “She was the only person asking me questions,” remembers Richards. On 31 May 2023, Richards marked the date with another life-changing event: he married Zee. “My accident doesn’t dictate my life,” he reflects. “Setting my wedding day and marrying my wife, surrounded by those memories, gives that date new significance.” 

Authored on

Thu, 02/26/2026 - 09:20

Dan Richards on his wedding day 14 years after his motorcycle accident