Cutting.Edge: The Air Hospital

Description: The C-17 Globemaster is one of the world's largest military transport aircraft, capable of carrying anything from tanks and helicopters to troops and supplies. But when the emergency call comes the plane is transformed into a hospital with everything needed to bring often terribly wounded service personnel home to their families in less than 36 hours from the point of injury. Flying from Brize Norton, the RAF's Critical Care in the Air Support Team (CCAST) has given this Cutting Edge documentary exclusive access to film missions as their elite medical staff and pilots bring injured service men and women back from Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. With a top speed of over 500 mph, and flying at 28,000 feet, it's a world away from the medicine available in previous conflicts. Flying into war zones, the medical team and crew put themselves in the line of fire to bring 121 critically injured patients back to Britain in 2009, more than twice as many as in 2008. From 'walking wounded' personnel to those on life support, the documentary follows dramatic human stories, as well as reflecting the dedication and wry humour of the CCAST crew as they fight to bring their patients home safely.