You are absolutely right, TLAW.
There is something in that for all of us. Especially with the NSW health system the way it is at the moment, but that is another story.
There is no way Orange Base Hospital or the local Ambulance Service would cope with up to 40 stretcher patients out of a Saab going in. If the aircraft can fly safely (indeed, how do you know?) you are far better off going to a large centre with appropraite hospitals and sufficient transport and fire fighting resources etc.
While in PNG I had an oil pump fail on me in an Islander out of Kokoda. Following determining the performance of the relatively lightly loaded aircraft I elected to carry on to Popondetta where we had at least some chance.
Airline Operations Manuals and QRMs etc. have a lot of these things cut and dried these days but sometimes we are still required to make decisions. That's why we "get the big bucks"!!!
