With the vast distances of Australia, aerial medical transport is a critical service to many of the country's citizens. The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), an organization that has provided medical services since 1928, has added three King Air B200Cs and two 350Cs to its fleet of approximately 60 aircraft, which covered nearly 38,000 nautical miles in 2010.
“The King Air turboprops are the ideal choice for the Royal Flying Doctors air ambulance missions as they feature large pressurized environmentally controlled cabins with high cruise speeds and the payload/range required to expeditiously transport critical-care patients,” said Jay Gibson, vice president, Special Missions and Corporate Government Relations.
Gibson also hailed the King Airs for their ability to get in and out of short, unimproved runways, adding flexibility to medical evacuations operations. The RFDS already includes the King Air B200C, which is used for patient transfers and primary response. But the two 350C airplanes are the first of this type in the fleet and will be used strictly for air ambulance missions. The 350C is not only bigger in size, but it also features a large cargo door, which makes it easier to get patients in and out of the airplane.
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