RFDS takes to Pilbara skies to unveil new plane fitted out by WA engineers

It may be Swiss-built but the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s new wings have a distinctly West Australian heart. The latest in RFDS WA’s now-17 strong fleet of Pilatus PC-12s arrived in Port Hedland on Wednesday having been fit-out for the first time by West Australian engineers. It is also the last of its kind — The PC-12 NG class has been retired by Stans-based Pilatus bringing an end to the run of a plane widely-respected by pilots for its versatility. RFDS WA operations chief executive Rebecca Tomkinson said the service had taken delivery of the last PC-12 NG to come off the production line. “We are delighted to acquire this assert because it ensures all 17 of our PC12s are the same operating model and that is a fantastic outcome for the quality and safety that we hold,” she said. “She landed in WA and because of the COVID-19 pandemic for the first time our local engineering team has actually fitted the aeromedical interior to this aircraft. “So she might be Swiss-built but she is West Australian inside.” The plane made its maiden flight adorned with the red, white and blue of the RFDS to Port Hedland on Wednesday where resources industry representatives gathered in the service’s hangar for the unveiling. A Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA COVID-19 response readiness campaign raised $5.2m to fund the new plane, with the Federal Government tipping in an extra $2m. CME WA president Fiona Hick said that campaign had raised $9m for Foodbank, Lifeline and the RFDS from 22 member companies. “At the start of the COVID pandemic we knew things were going to get bad, but we didn’t know how bad, so we committed to help regional communities where we could,” she said. “If we have someone injured on our site or even if there is a member of the public that gets injured, often our sties have the closest airstrip. “It is really important that we are able to support our staff and members of the local community with quality health and medical care, and that is what the RFDS provides.” Ms Tomkinson the PC-12 was a “workhorse” capable of operating on short runways, gravel, grass and roads. The new plane was on Thursday flown around several WA mine sites after the Port Hedland visit.