An online evening talk from the Museum of the Order of St John, in partnership with the St John Historical Society.

Discover the remarkable story of the St John Ambulance Air Wing (1972–1993), a volunteer-operated aeromedical transport service created to meet the urgent need for rapid organ movement for transplant surgery.

Formed on 2 February 1972 after collaboration between the DHSS, the London Hospital, the Metropolitan Police, St John Ambulance and volunteer pilots, the service was based at a hospital in Epping, Essex. Operating 24/7, 365 days a year from a dedicated Flight Control Centre, volunteer pilots and flight controllers coordinated time-critical missions across the UK. Between 1972 and 1987 the Air Wing flew 1,148 missions, growing from 28 flights in its first year to 213 in 1987. Its remit expanded beyond kidneys to include liver, heart and heart-lung transports, and later flights reached Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and Italy. The Air Wing’s contribution was recognised with the Royal Aero Club Britannia Trophy.