Victoria going backwards. Seriously this is a decision based out of Melbourne, with the principle of "whats good for Melbourne is good for rest of Vic". Im sorry, that principle doesn't work.
How can the AW139s with retractable wheels land in a paddock on a typical wet wintery day to airlift a patient who is trapped under a overturned tractor, it cant, So how is this enhancing our service when the AW139s have to land on a road and the patient transferred to the helicopter, At present the 412's can land onsite, but we already know this.
Same again, middle of winter, Mt feathertop picking up injured skier, can the 139s fly in and land on site. NO. Can the 412's YES.
The 139s are only suited for metropolitan hospital to hospital transfers, that is all, great for Melbourne but useless for rural vic, Our ambulance service is already in crisis here and now they killing of our helos too.
Stupid decision made by incompetent people who think vic ends on the outskirts of Melb.
BRING BACK THE NSCA. Now they shown the world how to organise and run a air ambulance system. They ran technology that still has NOT been matched today.
Surely after the debactles of the 139s going into Sydney is enough to show that they not designed for rural areas, even Queensland sees this, as the only 139 they run is based out of Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns still run the 412s.
I expect this to annoy some of you,