Royal Flying Doctor Service receives funding for two additional and two replacement aircraft, and the new Broome RFDS operating facility
David Eyre
2 min read
Built in 2004, VH-ZWO has already been withdrawn from service and replaced. Photo © David Eyre
18 July 2016 © David Eyre (UPDATED 21 July 2016)
Two PC-12s are due for replacement over the next six months, VH-YWO and VH-ZWO. VH-ZWO has recently been decommissioned from service and replaced by VH-OWV.
RFDS Western Operations has already placed orders for three Pilatus PC-24 jets and one option, for delivery sometime after 2017. Compared to the RFDS’s current Pilatus PC-12 turboprops, the new PC-24s travel twice as far, around 160 knots faster (PC-12: 240-260kts versus PC-24: 400-420kts).
The new RFDS Broome patient treatment and aero medical operating facilities recently opened and the funding enables the RFDS to base an additional aircraft at Broome.
In 2015, the RFDS assisted an average of 25 patients per day across Western Australia. The RFDS provides emergency care, life-saving outcomes, and health treatment and adviceto almost 70,000 people in Western Australia every year and has been operating in WA for over 80 years.
VWO has already been withdrawn from service and replaced.
“Two PC-12s are due for replacement over the next six months, likely to be the two remaining PC-12/45 aircraft, VH-VWO and VH-ZWO.”
The two remaining aircraft were YWO and ZWO, but ZWO has be recently decommissioned from service and replaced by OWV.
The PC-24 jets aren’t twice as fast as the PC12s. The PC12s have a TAS between 240 and 260kts. The PC-24s are expected to have a TAS around 400-420kts.
Many thanks for the correction – have updated the article.