Royal Flying Doctor Service (Sydney Kingsford Smith) has signed a firm order agreement with Pilatus Aircraft (PCH, Buochs) for one PC-24 with an option for a further one of the type. The medically-outfitted twinjet is scheduled for delivery in 2017/18 while its option, should it be exercised, would be due in 2018/19.

“The RFDS PC-24 will enable the RFDS to reach patients in need in all corners of South Australia from Adelaide in less than 90 minutes, including major regional cities like Mount Gambier in just 30 minutes and Moomba in the Cooper Basin in 60 minutes,” John Lynch, CEO of RFDS Central Operations, said.

The first RFDS PC-24 jet will service both South Australia and the Northern Territory while on arrival of the second, one aeromedical jet will be based at Alice Springs and the other in Adelaide to provide enhanced coverage throughout the north-south corridor of Australia.

RFDS Central Operations have utilised the Pilatus PC-12 exclusively for its South Australia and the Northern Territory operations since 1995. As such, it will continue to base four PC-12s out of Adelaide, three in Port Augusta and four in Alice Springs.