Royal Flying Doctor Service Orders Four King Air 360s

Textron Aviation has taken an order for four Beechcraft King Air 360CHWs from the Queensland Section of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Australia, as well as an option for the purchase of two more of the aft-cargo-door-equipped, heavyweight turboprop twins. Deliveries are set to begin this year and continue through 2023.

“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,” said RFDS-Queensland CEO Meredith Staib. “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.”

RFDS-Queensland operates 20 aircraft, including King Airs, from eight operational bases in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Charleville, Mount Isa, and Roma. Textron Aviation supports nearly 200 King Air variants in Australia.

In addition to the aft cargo door, the King Air 360CHW features two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-60A or optional factory-installed PT6A-67A turboprop engines with Hartzell four-blade propellers.