The Queensland section of Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has ordered two heavier versions of the Beechcraft King Air 350C. The order, signed late last month with Beechcraft’s Australia and New Zealand distributor Hawker Pacific, is the first for the type from an Australian operator.
The two aircraft are due for delivery in April 2015, after which they will undergo a comprehensive medical fit-out before they enter service with the RFDS.
The King Air 350C offers an increased payload of 635kg (1,400lb) compared with the standard version, along with a built-in airstair and a large cargo door, making it ideally suited to aeromedical activities.
The RFDS will use the new aircraft for aeromedical retrieval services and inter-hospital transfers across its network throughout Queensland, which includes nine regional bases. The extended range of the King Air 350C will allow it to operate non-stop between Cairns and Brisbane, as well as regional points throughout the state.
The Queensland section currently operates a fleet of 20-plus aircraft, comprising King Air 200Cs, King Air 200s, Super King Air 200s, Pilatus PC-12s and Cessna Grand Caravan 208s.
Source: Flight International
