WILTSHIRE Air Ambulance will be back in the air from Friday, nine days after a systems fault grounded its helicopter.

The firm operating the emergency aircraft, Heli Charter, went bust last Thursday leaving Wiltshire Air Ambulance without the necessary licence to fly the top-of-the-range Bell 429 helicopter.

As a stop-gap measure, the Wiltshire charity has signed an agreement with Specialist Aviation Services. The firm will bring a back-up MD 902 helicopter to fly from Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s Semington base seven days a week.

It means a return to the MD 902 helicopter for the air ambulance charity, which shared the model with Wiltshire Police until December 2014.

David Philpott, chief executive of Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “Specialist Aviation Services is a company we’ve enjoyed an excellent working relationship with for nearly 30 years and we’re very pleased that they’ve been able to move so fast to get us back in the air.

“The MD 902 is a helicopter the charity has used in the past and, following its arrival on Friday, we will be back flying for the people of Wiltshire and surrounding areas.

“I want to thank those well-wishers and supporters who have offered their support and redoubled their fundraising efforts for the charity since our Bell 429 was grounded last week.”

Last Wednesday, the Bell helicopter was grounded after a systems failure was spotted by a pilot during routine engine checks.

A day later, Heli Charter, which owned and operated the Bell 429 aircraft, entered voluntary liquidation. It meant the firm lost its air operator’s certificate, an important licence without which an aircraft cannot be flown.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance, which employs five pilots to fly its helicopter, is in the process of applying for its own air operator’s certificate. It is not known when the certificate will be awarded by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The arrangement with Specialist Aviation Services will see the firm’s pilots flying alongside Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s own helicopter pilots seven days a week, 8am-6pm.

The charity's critical care paramedics will also attend emergency calls in their two response cars.