ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE by Tony Roberts

ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE

In May 2014 the Royal Flying Doctor Service celebrated 86 years of caring for the Australian community.

ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE and THE PILATUS PC-12 combine to make a valued service to the Australian Outback.

Aero medical emergency retrievals and hospital to hospital transfers including clinic flights.

The RFDS PC12's are a dedicated medical equipped aircraft that is used only for this function by the RDFS.

As early as 1917, a dream brought about the uniting of Medicine, Aviation and Radio in a partnership that would assist the pioneers of the remote Australian outback. The Reverend John Flynn (Australian Inland Missionary), Clifford Peel (Medical Student who was killed in combat over France as a fighter pilot) and Alfred Traegar ( 1929 Developer of the 'Transceiver') exchanged their knowledge to develop a visionary medical service to aid the well being of people living in remote areas of this vast continent.

On 17 May 1928 their vision was realised when the first 'The Australian Inland Mission Aerial Service' flight left Cloncurry for Julia Creek to pick up and return a injured youth. The service started using a single-engined De Havilland DH50 biplane ( named 'Victory' and flew approx. 20,000 miles in the first year) leased from the Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service (Qantas) piloted by Capt. Arthur Affleck with Dr. St. Vincent Walsh, who worked from the first radio base at Cloncurry

In 1942 the service was renamed the Flying Doctor Service and after a Royal visit in 1955 the Queen approved the Royal prefix. An extension of the Royal Flying Doctor Service has been the School of the Air. Established in Alice Springs in 1951, radio classes provided supplementary correspondence lessons for isolated children.

The RFDS is now a world-renowned aero-medical organisation which provides emergency retrieval from rural and remote Australian regions, it also provides a primary health care service to remote outback Australia and a hospital to hospital transfer service. The service now exists for all people who live, work and travel in outback areas.

In May 2003 the Royal Flying Doctor Service celebrated 75 years of caring for the Australian community. 75 years later and the RFDS is widely recognised as the world’s most unique provider of aero-medical services. Last year (2006) the RFDS flew over 19.5 million kilometres across Australia and provided services to around 234,483 patients.

More details on the RFDS are available at Royal Flying Doctor Service

The late Rev Dr John Flynn, OBE ( 1880 - 1951 ) founder of Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service with the first aeroplane, ( De Havilland 50, 'G-AUER') On 17 May 1928 this aircraft was leasted from Qantas at five shillings per mile.

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Three PC-12 RFDS at the factory in Stans Switzerland

VH-FDC * VH-NQB * VH-FDP * VH-FVB * VH-FVA * VH-FGC *VH-FDE *VH-FGT *VH-FGR *VH-FDK *VH-FVD * VH-FVE * VH-FVF * VH-FDJ * VH-FMP * VH-FMW * VH-FMZ * VH-MWO * VH-KWO * VH-VWO * VH-VWO * VH-NWO * VH-OWQ * VH-OWR * VH-OWP * VH-OWA * VH-OWB * VH-OWD * VH-OWG

In the Central Section of the RFDS, covering South Australia and the Northern Territory, there are a total of Seven Pilatus PC-12's. The first two were puchased in March 1995 ( FMC & FMF ) as part of a original order of four, with FMP & FMW delivered in Sept 1995. RFDS purchased the 9th and 10th PC-12 built in 1995. The next PC-12 ( FMZ ) was delivered in March 1996 with PC-12 ( FDE ) to make up the fleet arriving in September 2000.A further 10 PC-12's where delieved at the end of 2001 bringing a total fleet of 16, with continuing replacement program the RFDS PC-12 fleet numbers will increase

In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the time of selection, there were not many choices of aircraft to fulfill the requirements of the RFDS. The choices available at the time included the Cessna Caravan (unpressurise), the Beechcraft, and the King Air (with price and operating costs above the resources of the RFDS at the time). The PC-12 was selected although it was still at a concept stage and was yet to be flown. The Pilatus aircraft was selected to replace ageing Piper Chieftains that were no longer available as a small twin engine aircraft. The willingness of Pilatus to look at the type of work and environment the RFDS operated in, assisted with the final choice of the PC-12.

Some of the PC-12's where flown out from Switzerland by crews from the RFDS Central Section (South Australia and the Northern Territory). VH-FMC & VH-FMF are stationed at the Adelaide Airport. VH-FMP & VH-FMW are stationed at the Alice Springs Airport. VH-FMZ & VH-FDE are stationed at the Port Augusta Airport.

RFDS accepted 3 new PC-12s on 29 Nov 01 in Stans, Switzerland. They were S/N 426 (VH - FDC) which is currently based in Mount Isa, S/N 428 (VH-FDM) which is currently based in Charleville and S/N 434 (VH-FDP) which is currently based in Cairns.

October 2008 seen the delivery of another new PC-12 (SN 1032) for the Western Division of Operations. This took the RFDS fleet to 21 PC-12’s.

The RFDS Central Section was the lead and launch customer of the PC-12 aircraft in the world. The RFDS remains a strong supporter of this aircraft currently the largest single owner/user of PC-12 aircraft. It's role in promoting the PC-12 is greatly valued by Pilatus.

Current (June. 2021 ) allocation of Pilatus PC-12's  and PC-24s  within the RFDS;

RFDS Central Section... 19 PC-12s
RFDS Western Ops....... 17 PC-12s
RFDS Queensland......... 3 PC-12s
RFDS Central Section... 2 PC-24s
RFDS Western Ops....... 2 PC-24s

 

Pilatus PC-24 © Photo Tony Roberts

Tony Roberts