Royal Flying Doctor Service selects upgraded Special Missions Beechcraft King Air 360 aircraft

WICHITA, Kan. (Feb. 11, 2021) –The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) has agreed to purchase four Beechcraft King Air 360CHW turboprop aircraft, with an option to purchase an additional two aircraft. The new aircraft will add to their already large fleet of Beechcraft King Air aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2021 and continue through 2023.

The Beechcraft King Air 360 is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company.  

“By providing a wide range of essential healthcare services to regional, rural and remote communities, the mission scope of the RFDS requires 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week operational availability for the vast territory of the state of Queensland,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Missions Sales. “We are honored that the RFDS, in evaluating its choices for this fleet, continues to choose the Beechcraft King Air as the platform of choice for these crucial operations.”

The six Beechcraft King Air turboprops, configured for multi-stretcher air ambulance operations, will be equipped with a factory installed aft cargo door, heavy weight operations package and Pratt and Whitney PT6A-67A engines for additional performance capabilities. With its corporate office located within the Brisbane Airport precinct, the RFDS currently operates 20 aircraft across eight operational bases located at Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Charleville, Mount Isa and Roma.

The King Air, the most popular twin-turboprop model in Australia, provides unrivaled performance in terms of operational cost, speed and runway access throughout Queensland. Textron Aviation supports nearly 200 King Air aircraft in a variety of configurations throughout Australia.

“The King Air is the world leader in twin-turboprop special missions because of the aircraft’s unmatched capabilities and reliability,” added Gibbs. “Continuing to be a trusted supplier for emergency services in Australia is a testament to the King Air’s performance when every minute matters.”

RFDS (Queensland Section) Chief Executive Officer Meredith Staib said it was vital that the Service, one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive aeromedical organisations, remained “future fit” as it neared 100 years of operation.

“The Beechcraft King Air 360 aircraft forms a key part of our 10-year aircraft replacement strategy, which will ensure we can continue to deliver world-class aeromedical retrievals and healthcare to regional, rural and remote Australians,” she said.

“Our highly trained and skilled aviation staff are looking forward to experiencing the technology advances offered with the B360, including improved performance and efficiency, ultimately improving runway access. I am sure our medical crews and patients will also enjoy the enhanced flying experience.”

The King Air 360CHW aircraft is a version of the King Air 360 twin-engine turboprop aircraft configured  with an optional cargo door and heavy weight operations package, resulting in enhanced mission flexibility. Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A or optional factory installed PT6A-67A turboprop engines with Hartzell four blade propellers power the King Air 360CHW aircraft, and a fully integrated Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion digital avionics suite provides pilot(s) with state-of-the-art touchscreen controls.

When government, military and commercial customers want airborne solutions for critical missions, they turn to Textron Aviation.  The company’s aviation solutions provide the high performance and flight characteristics required to address the unique challenges of special missions operations. With unparalleled quality, versatility and low operating costs, Textron Aviation products are preferred for air ambulance, ISR, utility transport, aerial survey, flight inspection, training and a number of other special operations.

Nearly 7,600 Beechcraft King Air turboprops have been delivered to customers around the world since 1964, making it the best-selling business turboprop family in the world. The worldwide fleet has surpassed 62 million flight hours in its 56 years, serving roles in all branches of the U.S. military and flying both commercial and special mission roles around the world. 

We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 90 years, Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for safe, affordable and flexible flight.  

For more information, visit www.txtav.com  |  www.defense.txtav.com  |  www.scorpionjet.com.  

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders.