The central section RFDS Kingairs were very heavy, as they had lots of equipment fitted, and also carried medical gear.
We need to get a bit more realistic here.
On this forum I have seen people saying a Citation jet is a sensible replacement for a chieftain, a caravan is a suitable replacement for an Aztec and the RFDS should use two pilot crews.
This is aero club dreaming.
Have a look at the "Alice Springs news" printed on April 27 2005.
This describes how the Alice Springs base of the RFDS has only one pilot on duty at night although they have three aircraft. It took 14 hours to get a seriously burned patient to Adelaide.(a three hour flight.)
I am not criticisibg the RFDS or the medical people. I know from experience that there are a lot of good people there , doing a lot fo good work.
But let's, stop waffling about jets replacing chieftains, and two pilot crews for the RFDS when they cannot even provide an adequate 24 hour single pilot service.
Running Boeings up and down the J curve is one thing, but the rest of the country is very, very different.
Even the RFDS does not have a bottomless pit of money. Like the rest of us they have to be realistic.