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Flying Doctor Turbine Fleet Grows

A growing market is developing for pressurised turbine-powered aircraft to be used for the uplift of aeromedical cases in Australia. The lead in this market was taken by Hawker Pacific and the Beech King Air. However, Rex Aviation and Cessna have now made their first sales.

In late 1984 the Queensland Division of the Royal Flying Doctor Service put into service King Air 200C VH-FDB, which they based at Cairns. In 1985 a King Air C90 VH-FDP was added to their fleet and based at Charleville. This aircraft was the first to be fitted with a locally developed wider loading door. In anticipation of further sales to the RFDS, Hawker Pacific imported 2 King Air C90’s. This has apparently been justified as the Victorian Division of the RFDS have announced the purchase of one of these aircraft. King Air C90 N6052F c/n LJ842 has been registered VHFDT and after modification to the wider door configuration at Bankstown will be delivered to the RFDS. Victoria is responsible for maintaining services in the Kimberley region of NW Australia and there they maintain bases at Derby and Wyndham. When delivered VH-FDT will be based at Derby and it will replace 2 Queen Air’s presently in use. These aircraft are Queen Air 70 VH-MWJ ‘Fred Ryle’ and Queen Air B80 ‘H. V. McKay 111’. The Victorian Division also operate 2 PA31-310 aircraft, VH-MWC ‘Keith A. Rowell’ which is based at Wyndham and VH-WDY ‘J. C. Farrin Webb’ which is based at Derby.

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