The Flying Doctor Welcomes Rotary Capability

A new capability

RFDS’s Western Operations is leading the move into rotary aeromedical care; a national first for the Flying Doctor. Perth’s Jandakot Airport is Western Australia’s largest RFDS hub and is home to two new Airbus EC-145 helicopters. Anthony Green is general manager, aviation for Royal Flying Doctor’s Western Operations. He is overseeing the integration of the new assets into the existing fleet, that carried over 10,000 people last year. Green told Australian Aviation that the acquisition of the rotary assets was driven by the RFDS’ desire to improve the health outcomes for patients in Western Australia. “Like all health services in WA, we are experiencing increased demand for our care, and the helicopters are an asset which we’ve added to diversify our existing fixed-wing fleet,” Green said in February. 

The need for care has increased in recent years, with 2020-21 being the busiest period in RFDS history. Over 9 million kilometres were flown in Western Australia, with a fleet of Pilatus aircraft making over 16,000 landings. The rotary assets are expected to further increase the reach and frequency of the operation, opening doors for access into areas unsuitable for fixed-wing aircraft.  Green elaborates: “The RFDS Western Operations fleet consists of 20 fixed-wing aircraft and now two EC-145 helicopters. With them our capacity to respond to the health needs of regional Western Australians will be further boosted while also benefiting the health system in WA by reducing the number of ambulance transfers.”

When assessing rotary options, the team at RFDS investigated several options. The West Australian section had anchored its fixed-wing fleet on Pilatus aircraft, flying PC12s and PC24s. But the Swiss manufacturer has no rotary platforms in its stable, so the RFDS looked to other manufacturers in search of the most capable rotary platform. “We wanted a helicopter to do a single patient-into-hospital transfer. We conducted due diligence and looked at a variety of helicopters, including benchmarking around the size requirement and uplift capability of helicopters in an aeromedical role,” Green notes, adding: “We looked globally at the helicopters best recognised for aeromedical services, and the EC-145 is globally recognised for this capability.”

Green points to several features that make the EC-145 shine in an aeromedical role, noting the aircraft is “a great platform (and) has the flexibility to be customised for the roles we needed”. Other standouts include a multi-engine design, which offers reassurance from an overarching safety, capability and stability perspective. Additionally, the size, running costs and fuel efficiency of the various options were explored, with Green saying: “the EC-145’s capability stood out.” A key delighter in the design of the EC-145 is its integrated clam shell doors. This feature allows the RFDS to customise the interior for efficient patient transfer and loading. The clam shell doors on the EC-145 offer flexibility in line with the large cargo doors on the Pilatus aircraft, which streamlines operational efficiency. Green continues: “The ability those doors give us to use a wheeled stretcher to load, with minimal risk and physical handling, really was a design clincher for us. They allow us to load the patient into the aircraft with minimal handling.”

Integrating rotary

With two EC-145s acquired, the RFDS worked to ensure the aircraft were fitted out to a standard in line with the existing fleet. 

“Standardisation is key so they are equipped as our other aircraft are – as intensive care units in the sky for one patient. There are some slight differences, with the layout and the stretcher, however, for the aeromedical needs they are equipped with all of our standard equipment,” says Green. This approach means that critical care patients can seamlessly move between RFDS aircraft during their journey to metropolitan hospitals. The standardised approach also allows the RFDS to enjoy high levels of flexibility when selecting and scheduling assets for various aeromedical tasks.

“The operating methodology for our clinical teams in the back of the aircraft is the same. Our doctors and nurses can work on both fixed-wing and rotary types – after completing a training and familiarisation course – so they can move between aircraft agnostic of type,” notes Green. “The helicopters will be treated in the same regard as all of our aircraft in terms of patient needs being at the core of what we do. They will be subjected to the same rigorous safety standards as the rest of the fleet, and we have recruited new, extremely experienced and trained helicopter pilots to fly them.”Like the fixed-wing fleet, the Airbus helicopters will be maintained locally at the RFDS’ Jandakot base. 

Green says experience and professionalism has allowed the RFDS to integrate its first rotary assets into existing high functioning systems, characterising the transition as “seamless”, but adds: “There are obvious approvals that are required by CASA, however the aircraft are folded into our existing engineering, check and training and flying systems that we have in place, that are approved at the highest level by the regulator.”  

At the time of writing, the RFDS has all the approvals required to maintain, operate and repair the EC-145s in-house, and plan to start active operations in the near future. 

Green was quick to note that differences do exist when handling rotary aircraft, especially when approaching maintenance and engineering. 

“The tooling and all maintenance equipment is different between rotary and fixed-wing and from a CASA regulatory process we need to have procedures in place to ensure the two types are segregated. We have developed a specific rotary base for maintenance work at Jandakot,” says Green, adding: “(but) the core nucleus of it is that they will run within our existing systems because standardisation is the key to safety in aviation.” 

Asset utilisation

The RFDS has a global reputation for excellence, built off longstanding expertise of delivering aeromedical care with fixed-wing aircraft. 

Therefore, moving into rotary operations was always going to be a significant shift for the organisation. However, the needs assessment for rotary acquisition was based on the same core values that have driven the RFDS throughout its history: patient care.

“The decision to acquire rotatory assets is informed by what drives us at the RFDS. We are always continuously improving, and we are always looking at what we can do to offer the best care for the patients and people of Western Australia,” Green adds.

Two aircraft were acquired to ensure maximum flexibility. The acuity of patient needs, as well as various resourcing considerations will inform decision making when allocating the EC-145s to tasks, with the helicopters expected to reduce the need for ambulance transfers in critical care cases. 

Ultimately, the EC-145s will become a workhorse within the RFDS fleet, racking up high utilisation as they perform their critical role. 

The helicopters each offer a range of around 500km. Their base in Jandakot will see them usually operate within a 250km radius – allowing for return trips to be completed on a single tank of fuel.

This range allows them to easily make the trip to regional cities such as Bunbury (154km), Busselton (203km) and even Jurien Bay (230km) as well as Rottnest Island (60km). 

And while the helicopters are a dedicated aeromedical asset, Green notes that the RFDS is always willing to assist state authorities in emergency situations.

“The EC-145 can be fitted with a winch, so if the state, police or DFES require support with a major event, we will always assist where we can, and the helicopters allow us to extend this support if required,” he says.

Future ready

With the helicopters due to come online just as Western Australia enters its first Omicron surge, COVID preparedness has been incorporated into the operational readiness. 

Both helicopters – like the rest of the RFDS fleet – will be fully COVID ready, allowing the RFDS to transfer COVID-19 patients, with Green adding: “We stand ready to respond, particularly as the borders start to reopen.”

“We have procedures for the aircraft, PPE and other systems that are standard across the fleet to ensure our team are COVID safe and ensure we reduce the risk of any transmission of the virus,” he says. 

With support from Fortescue, the new rotary assets will formally enter service as Fortescue Heli-Med in the coming weeks. All eyes, including those from the RFDS in other states, will be keenly watching as the EC-145s extend the capability of Flying Doctor in WA.