• Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) has announced a series of updates and developments which aim to strengthen our ability to meet rising demand, and ensure every patient across the region has access to the level of pre‑hospital critical care that they need, particularly when it is a matter of life or death.

Demand for our life-saving service continues to grow year on year; by air and by road, our missions have more than tripled in the last ten years. Thanks to sustained innovation, investment, and the unwavering support of local communities, we now provide one of the most advanced levels of care available outside a hospital setting. However, the charity remains acutely aware that there are still patients we cannot yet reach and are determined to close that gap.

Therefore, DSAA is taking important steps to expand capacity, modernise our infrastructure, and ensure long-term resilience. The updates below outline how the charity is preparing for the future, from developing a new operational base, to progressing the introduction of a second helicopter, all focused on giving every patient the best possible chance of survival.

Future operational base at Yeovil’s Leonardo UK Site

We have now confirmed our long-term intention to develop a new operational base at the Leonardo site in Yeovil, the Home of British Helicopters. An agreement for a 35-year lease in Yeovil has now been signed with generous support from Leonardo who will not be charging the charity rent.

The proposal for a new operational base in Yeovil follows careful consideration, operational analysis, and a vision to secure a sustainable and future‑proof home for our life‑saving service.

DSAA requires modern facilities that support clinical excellence, rapid deployment and staff wellbeing. A new base will offer purpose-built spaces for patient interaction, training, operational coordination and community engagement, ensuring the charity can continue to provide outstanding care to people across Dorset and Somerset for decades to come.

Operational analysis shows that Yeovil’s location provides excellent aircraft coverage across the entire Dorset and Somerset region, whilst immediate access to major roads, enhance deployment for rapid response vehicles.

Whilst our intention to move to Yeovil is now clear, the development and construction of a new base will be subject to several important steps. This includes a public consultation in mid-2026 to seek the community’s views and backing, followed by securing planning permission and raising the necessary funds.

In finalising the agreements, Leonardo has been fully supportive that we need the security to be able to operate from the location for at least the full period of the lease. We would be able to operate the new base site independently of Leonardo and have the necessary rights to operate there for the next 35 years.

Second helicopter progressing toward UK operations

Pictures from Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

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