OVERHEAD there is a yellow flash and thud, thud.
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Most Novocastrians would know it as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
A regular sight in local skies, the service averages three missions a day.
As the busiest service in NSW, it covers a third of the state, from Newcastle to Tamworth.
However, it is usually only the people who need the service who understand how it really works, but that is changing due to the real-life rescue drama, Air Rescue.
The television series was launched last year and its success has seen a second series hit the screens, which includes footage from aircraft and crew out of the Broadmeadow base.
Air crewman Graham Nickisson, who has been flying missions with the Hunter service for more than 30 years, features in the televised rescues.
"It is like flying with us - in the back seat of the aircraft when you watch this show," he said.
"What you see is powerful, emotional and quite graphic - it is very real and what we see every day."
Mr Nickisson said none of the missions were staged and the only editing was of a few inappropriate words. Upcoming episodes feature the Hunter service in action at search and rescues on land and water as well as emergency medical missions.
The locations include Bar Beach, Nobbys Beach, the Bogey Hole, Redhead, Central Coast and Hunter.
It costs more than $12 million for the Hunter service to operate and most funding comes from the community. Mr Nickisson said people could now see how their hard-earned dollars were used.
■ See Air Rescue on Channel 7, each Wednesday at 8pm until December 24.