Hawker Beechcraft and its local distributor, Hawker Pacific, have announced the recent delivery of a fleet of five King Air turboprops to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Eastern Division in Australia.

The two King Air 350C (cargo door variant) and three King Air B200C aircraft join a fleet of air ambulance aircraft operated on contract for New South Wales Department of Health - Air Ambulance. The delivery of the King Air 350C aircraft marks the first of this type into service for the RFDS.

“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. “Additionally, the King Airs are capable of operating from short, unimproved runways, providing additional flexibility during critical situations in the remote areas of Australia.”

The RFDS utilizes the King Air B200C extensively throughout Australia for aeromedical primary response and inter-hospital transfers. The King Air 350C is the first in the region that is fully dedicated to the air ambulance mission.