Queensland Government
These days it's bad press to have crooks and politicians alike caught stepping off a private jet funded by Joe taxpayer.
The media in Europe or the US wouldn't blink an eye to anyone flying in a private jet but in Australia it's like you have been caught in a major scandal. I guess it goes to show how petty and backwards the Australian media really is.
Joh loved the Kingair.
It was a big step up from the Navajo, then the Pressurised Navajo that followed.
I think Joh was gone by the time the first Hawker arrived.
It was a big step up from the Navajo, then the Pressurised Navajo that followed.
I think Joh was gone by the time the first Hawker arrived.
Qld State Government buy 7 new aircraft - Oct 2022
Story been around a few months now, a bunch of King Airs and maybe something else to replace Hawker which disappeared and now maybe in Sydney
King Airs to provide police transport
King Airs to provide police transport
From the Qld government media release website:
Minister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services
The Honourable Mark Ryan
A fleet of replacement aircraft to be delivered to the Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group will provide enhanced life-saving organ retrieval capabilities and further bolster community safety across Queensland.
The new aircraft will provide the operational capability to conduct organ retrieval flights to locations anywhere in Australia and New Zealand.
Highlighting the importance of these life-saving missions, in the last 18 months alone, the Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group has conducted more than 100 organ retrieval operations.
That’s around six organ retrievals per month or around one per week.
Acting Police Minister Mark Furner joined Acting Assistant Commissioner Marcus Hill today to announce the QPS’ purchase of the new aircraft which will replace its ageing and antiquated fix-wing aircraft fleet.
“Following extensive consultation and evaluation, the QPS has purchased two new mid-sized jets and five new turbo prop aircraft to replace the current outdated fleet,” Minister Furner said.
“The modern aircraft will boost capacity and capability across its extensive government operations which includes life-saving organ transfers, specialist police operations, general transportation to remote areas and prisoner transfers.
“This investment will ensure regional communities and the south-east corner alike are safeguarded with versatile aircraft capable of deploying specialist police, assisting in search and rescues and providing disaster relief at a moment’s notice.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner Marcus Hill said the purchase includes five Beechcraft King Air 360 turboprops which will be based in Cairns, Mount Isa and Brisbane and two Gulfstream G280 jets which will be based in Brisbane.
“The modern turboprops will have cargo accessibility to help transport important supplies during disasters and special police equipment which can be transported anywhere in Queensland or Australia.
“They will also be pressurised, allowing them to travel higher and faster and attend to urgent jobs quicker.”
A/Assistant Commissioner Hill said the two jets replace the old Citation and Hawker jets which were recently sold after reaching the end of their economic and operational life.
“The new jets have been purposely designed with a utility interior fit out to ensure they are adequate for a range of transportation requirements while representing value-for-money,” he said.
He said the Aviation Capability Group was responsible for providing aviation services for multiple government departments across Queensland including QPS, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Corrective Services, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Queensland Health and other agencies.
“Demand for aviation services continues to rise significantly and this replacement fleet will ensure we have the capacity and capability to effectively manage these services for communities across the state now and into the future,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Hill said.
“Our fixed-wing aircraft are extremely versatile and enable specialist police officers and equipment such as the dive squad, our Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) and the Explosive Ordinance Response Team (EORT) to be deployed virtually anywhere in Queensland or Australia.
“The new fleet will mean a reduction in the number of different aircraft type, gaining efficiencies by having pilots and engineering capability more able to be spread across a common fleet rather than having a complex mix of different aircraft.”
The new aircraft will be introduced over the next two years and will bring the total fixed wing fleet to nine aircraft in addition to the rotary wing and remotely piloted aircraft systems.
Fast Facts
New QPS aircraft fleet has Queensland covered
Published Today at 12:35 PMMinister for Police and Corrective Services and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services
The Honourable Mark Ryan
A fleet of replacement aircraft to be delivered to the Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group will provide enhanced life-saving organ retrieval capabilities and further bolster community safety across Queensland.
The new aircraft will provide the operational capability to conduct organ retrieval flights to locations anywhere in Australia and New Zealand.
Highlighting the importance of these life-saving missions, in the last 18 months alone, the Queensland Police Service Aviation Capability Group has conducted more than 100 organ retrieval operations.
That’s around six organ retrievals per month or around one per week.
Acting Police Minister Mark Furner joined Acting Assistant Commissioner Marcus Hill today to announce the QPS’ purchase of the new aircraft which will replace its ageing and antiquated fix-wing aircraft fleet.
“Following extensive consultation and evaluation, the QPS has purchased two new mid-sized jets and five new turbo prop aircraft to replace the current outdated fleet,” Minister Furner said.
“The modern aircraft will boost capacity and capability across its extensive government operations which includes life-saving organ transfers, specialist police operations, general transportation to remote areas and prisoner transfers.
“This investment will ensure regional communities and the south-east corner alike are safeguarded with versatile aircraft capable of deploying specialist police, assisting in search and rescues and providing disaster relief at a moment’s notice.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner Marcus Hill said the purchase includes five Beechcraft King Air 360 turboprops which will be based in Cairns, Mount Isa and Brisbane and two Gulfstream G280 jets which will be based in Brisbane.
“The modern turboprops will have cargo accessibility to help transport important supplies during disasters and special police equipment which can be transported anywhere in Queensland or Australia.
“They will also be pressurised, allowing them to travel higher and faster and attend to urgent jobs quicker.”
A/Assistant Commissioner Hill said the two jets replace the old Citation and Hawker jets which were recently sold after reaching the end of their economic and operational life.
“The new jets have been purposely designed with a utility interior fit out to ensure they are adequate for a range of transportation requirements while representing value-for-money,” he said.
He said the Aviation Capability Group was responsible for providing aviation services for multiple government departments across Queensland including QPS, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Corrective Services, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Queensland Health and other agencies.
“Demand for aviation services continues to rise significantly and this replacement fleet will ensure we have the capacity and capability to effectively manage these services for communities across the state now and into the future,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Hill said.
“Our fixed-wing aircraft are extremely versatile and enable specialist police officers and equipment such as the dive squad, our Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) and the Explosive Ordinance Response Team (EORT) to be deployed virtually anywhere in Queensland or Australia.
“The new fleet will mean a reduction in the number of different aircraft type, gaining efficiencies by having pilots and engineering capability more able to be spread across a common fleet rather than having a complex mix of different aircraft.”
The new aircraft will be introduced over the next two years and will bring the total fixed wing fleet to nine aircraft in addition to the rotary wing and remotely piloted aircraft systems.
Fast Facts
- Seven new QPS aircraft purchased to replace ageing fleet
- ACG’s fixed-wing aircraft have been involved in more than 100 life-saving organ retrievals in past 18 months
- Gulfstream G280 jets can travel more than 6,000km in one trip
Queensland is as big as Europe, don't you think a sensible Government would have a small fleet of aircraft to make sure country people do not miss out on representation.
I understand the police use them to get specialist officers to where they are needed and transport prisoners without having to put them on commercial flights.
We know they are also used for high priority organ transplant transport.
Nobody seems to complain about the BBJs and Falcons based in Canberra for the Feds
So, What's not to like?
I understand the police use them to get specialist officers to where they are needed and transport prisoners without having to put them on commercial flights.
We know they are also used for high priority organ transplant transport.
Nobody seems to complain about the BBJs and Falcons based in Canberra for the Feds
So, What's not to like?
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Sydney
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Queensland is as big as Europe, don't you think a sensible Government would have a small fleet of aircraft to make sure country people do not miss out on representation.
I understand the police use them to get specialist officers to where they are needed and transport prisoners without having to put them on commercial flights.
We know they are also used for high priority organ transplant transport.
Nobody seems to complain about the BBJs and Falcons based in Canberra for the Feds
So, What's not to like?
I understand the police use them to get specialist officers to where they are needed and transport prisoners without having to put them on commercial flights.
We know they are also used for high priority organ transplant transport.
Nobody seems to complain about the BBJs and Falcons based in Canberra for the Feds
So, What's not to like?
And those who don't like it would have no problem accepting a vital organ flown in for a loved one in need!
The Citation ran out of engine hours about 3 years ago and the Hawker had a time ex engine about 2 years ago so neither jet has been missed
Covid came and organ transfers reduced accordingly but local jet charter companies filled the gap easily. The Premier also preferred the charter jets over that slow King Air that was sitting in the back of the hangar virtually unused
The minister has stated that there was about 1 organ transfer per week average so why does the taxpayer need the two new jets each much larger than the replaced old Hawker to cover so few transplants
I suppose it’s too early yet to see what pay is on offer or whether the new hangar will have crew rest facilities like the rotary wing guys have
Do the Caravans remain or are the King Airs replacing them
Covid came and organ transfers reduced accordingly but local jet charter companies filled the gap easily. The Premier also preferred the charter jets over that slow King Air that was sitting in the back of the hangar virtually unused
The minister has stated that there was about 1 organ transfer per week average so why does the taxpayer need the two new jets each much larger than the replaced old Hawker to cover so few transplants
I suppose it’s too early yet to see what pay is on offer or whether the new hangar will have crew rest facilities like the rotary wing guys have
Do the Caravans remain or are the King Airs replacing them
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Sydney
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Citation ran out of engine hours about 3 years ago and the Hawker had a time ex engine about 2 years ago so neither jet has been missed
Covid came and organ transfers reduced accordingly but local jet charter companies filled the gap easily. The Premier also preferred the charter jets over that slow King Air that was sitting in the back of the hangar virtually unused
The minister has stated that there was about 1 organ transfer per week average so why does the taxpayer need the two new jets each much larger than the replaced old Hawker to cover so few transplants
I suppose it’s too early yet to see what pay is on offer or whether the new hangar will have crew rest facilities like the rotary wing guys have
Do the Caravans remain or are the King Airs replacing them
Covid came and organ transfers reduced accordingly but local jet charter companies filled the gap easily. The Premier also preferred the charter jets over that slow King Air that was sitting in the back of the hangar virtually unused
The minister has stated that there was about 1 organ transfer per week average so why does the taxpayer need the two new jets each much larger than the replaced old Hawker to cover so few transplants
I suppose it’s too early yet to see what pay is on offer or whether the new hangar will have crew rest facilities like the rotary wing guys have
Do the Caravans remain or are the King Airs replacing them
From a friend working there- The horn Island Caravan is staying (For the short runways in the Torres) and the Mt Isa one will become a spare. Unsure where the spare will be kept!
The Cairns, Mt Isa bases will have B360’s. The Bn base Gulfstreams and B360’s
I think Joh was gone by the time the first Hawker arrived.
After all VH-SGY was called the "Joh Jet"
VH-SGY
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Sunshine State
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some not so positive comments on this site from a few years back. Keen to know, have things turned around?
From what Google says this operation now seems to structurally fall under QLD PolAir, surely that wouldn't have hurt?
Here's hoping it's an enjoyable place to work. The ops sure sound interesting from outside looking in.
PMs also welcome 🚁
From what Google says this operation now seems to structurally fall under QLD PolAir, surely that wouldn't have hurt?
Here's hoping it's an enjoyable place to work. The ops sure sound interesting from outside looking in.
PMs also welcome 🚁
I see they are looking for pilots again n Brisbane. Does anyone have any current information on working conditions, rostering, staff morale etc? When do the B360’s arrive?
Asking for a friend…….
Asking for a friend…….
They have been advertising since COVID kicked off. The advert goes up, everyone applies then theres nothing for 6 months before the advert is removed and you get an email saying the position no longer exists, then rinse and repeat all over again. That in itself is an indication something isn't quite right in the place. That said I don't know anybody working there so it could be qiute good.
Well it’s been awhile, where are the jets? I see one new King Air VH 8TT arrived and flying last week, wondering if the other 4 are still coming
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
jets are initially assembled Israel and then fitted out in Georgia - I guess the current situation in Israel delaying everything