Royal Flying Doctor Service gets new Beechcraft King Airs

Hawker Beechcraft, together with regional distributor Hawker Pacific, have announced the recent delivery of five King Air turboprops to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The announcement was one of a raft of announcements from Hawker Pacific at this week’s massive 2012 Singapore Airshow. The RFDS will deploy its new fleet of King Airs within its Eastern Division.

The two King Air 350C (cargo door variant) and three King Air B200C aircraft join a fleet of air ambulance aircraft operated on contract for the New South Wales Department of Health – Air Ambulance. The delivery of the King Air 350C marks the first of this type to enter service with the RFDS.

“The King Air turboprops are the ideal choice for the Royal Flying Doctors air ambulance missions as they feature large pressurised, environmentally controlled cabins with high cruise speeds and the payload/range required to expeditiously transport critical-care patients,” Hawker Pacific vice president, Special Missions and Corporate Government Relations, Jay Gibson, said.

“Additionally, the King Airs are capable of operating from short, unimproved runways, providing additional flexibility during critical situations in the remote areas of Australia.”

The RFDS already utilises the King Air B200C extensively, while the two new King Air 350Cs are the first in the region that will be fully dedicated to the air ambulance mission.