Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service has ordered a second Pilatus PC-24 twin-engined jet.
The $10 million aircraft will operate in South and Central Australia and is due for delivery in 2017 or 2018. The RFDS already has three PC-24s on order for Western Australia with an option for a fourth.
“The RFDS PC-24 will enable the RFDS to reach patients in need in all corners of South Australia from Adelaide in less than 90 minutes, including major regional cities like Mt Gambier in just 30 minutes and Moomba in the Cooper Basin in 60 minutes,” said John Lynch, CEO of RFDS Central Operations.
“At least every other day the RFDS will conduct the emergency evacuation of a critically-ill patient from Alice Springs Hospital to Adelaide or Darwin for specialist care – the RFDS PC-24 will reduce this flight to less than two hours."
As the launch customer for the PC-24, the RFDS has also optioned a second jet for South and Central Australia, due to be delivered in 2018/19. When both are on-line, one will be based in Adelaide and the other in Alice Springs.
Lynch has labeled the PC-24 as a "game-changer" for the RFDS.
“The new PC-24 has the versatility and practicality of the PC-12 with the cabin capacity and high performance of a jet. It is certified for our single-pilot operation, and is designed to take-off and land on the harsh dirt airstrips we use daily in the outback."
RFDS Central Operations has utilised the Pilatus PC-12 turbo-prop aircraft exclusively for operations in SA and the NT since 1995; it will continue to operate its four PC-12s in Adelaide, three in Port Augusta and four in Alice Springs.