RFDS Darwin Base
 

ABC news website are reporting that the RFDS Central Section are going to open a base in Darwin.

A $4 million hangar will be started this month, designed for four aircraft.

Interesting times in the NT.

Going to be a pretty sizeable facility by the sound of it. Are they going to use another jet like the one in Perth (VH-RIO)?

RFDS Central already operate from Alice Springs, so makes sense for them to have a base in Darwin.

Big spit in the face of Careflight. Building right beside them.

They've got the new PC-24 jets coming very soon and their website says at least one is going to the NT.

Evidently we can't believe everything the RFDS says.

From the website,

But another medical flight service — CareFlight — holds the lucrative government contract for Top End medical evacuations, which expires in 2022.

He noted they won that tender against competitors including RFDS and that contract would not expire for another five years


He said CareFlight was "curious" as to why the RFDS was coming to the Top End and said it was unclear what sort of role RFDS would take, when CareFlight already holds the major aeromedical evacuation contract with the Government.


I wonder if having a hangar and facilities was part of the contract requirement? Having physical buildings at Darwin at time of contract would be a big advantage as opposed to "we will try get a bit of land from Darwin Airport and try get it built in a hurry.

Never pays to be seen throwing lots of cash around.

I would be planning for the after life if I were CareFlight.

Royal Flying Doctor Service comes to Darwin, but CareFlight not sure why - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

RFDS aircraft are always in Darwin. RDH is the closest major hospital to the top of WA, it also houses the national critical care and trauma response unit so the level of medical expertise is probably above the average bear hospital of that size. From KNX it would definitely make more sense to fly the patient to Darwin then to try and get them to Perth. Even if the jet was on the deck in Kununurra. On the jet its 50mins to Darwin v 3.30+ to Perth

It might just be prudent to have a facility where you end up flying to a bit more often than maybe was planned.

I can tell you first hand she was an expert at RDH, and the method of treatment she pioneered left me scar less.


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Yes a jet makes sense given the distances involved up there.

If RFDS is looking towards the next contract, will they expand into rotary wing operations themselves. Or maybe RFDS will partner with someone else like one of the two "careflights"

Anyone know what the Lifeflight badge on RIO relates to? This badge is also on the image for the new PC-24's. I was told there is some sort of relationship between RFDS and Careflight in Queensland (now lifeflight), but Perth is a long way from there.

Well, hopefully central Section are more well run than SE, WO and QLD. At least Central have been consistent with their management arrangements and although I don't really like the SE thing the PC12 has been a positive for them. They now obviously have the cash to go jet whereas the other sections are struggling to hold onto what they've got. Well done Central Section.

You know with all the public money and resources I would have thought that QLD Section would have bought the PC24??? Instead the B350 is too slow and doesn't have the legs for those distances. Nice aircraft, yes, but just plain wrong!

SN

a pc24 based in Darwin makes sense. say for eg someone needs to be airlifted from a community with short dirt strip direct to Brisbane then pc24 can fly them direct and they don't have to come to Darwin first. pc24 can also service all of Kimberley , timor leste , Indonesia, Christmas cocos islands etc from just one base. rfds pc12 medivacs may also be cheaper than b200 that careflight use. I think a few companies want the NT aeromedical contract including chartair.

I don't think the WA Government is going to warm to the idea of WA patients being sent off to the NT for treatment with the associated loss of funding..If that is what the RFDS are thinking then they will want to get the politics sorted out first.

Already done. They come to Darwin at least every second day.

Think you'll find there are at least 2 contracts, the standard King Air medical retrieval and the jet ops patient transfers. Think you'll find the latter is a panel contract.....

You wouldn't know by any chance who is on that said panel hey. CareFlight, RFDS, LifeFlight....???

You wouldn't happen to know who the 4th member of that panel would be hey? RFDS, CareFlight Limited and LifeFlight...???

Looks like the RFDS lost the interstate jet contract to Careflight as per the NT news article last week.
maybe the RFDS is figuring out their all conquering new expensive PC24 is no match for Real speed and range.
Dosnt look like the PC24 will be in Darwin permanently any time soon in their empty hangar. They certainly were throwing out a lot of media in the last month sprucing up their jets.
looks like Careflight is moving forwards and upwards in tight times. Should be a few pilots at their door looking for gigs.
how many large tenders has the RFDS lost this year?

WA RFDS are not always flying patients into DRW. It is politically not very palatable. Having said that WACHS does fund several beds in RDH for WA patients. Its very bizarre indeed the RFDS using donor/gov money to fund follies and fishing expeditions. CareFlight does have quite a stronghold in NT (Top End) but that contract is due up in 2022 (Top End Health Service). NT Health are quite sensitive to avoid market monopolist behavour in its aeromedical service. If RFDS should win the Top End Aeromedical Service it would monopolize the NT due to its hold on Alice Springs AME service.