The Australian air ambulance organization New South Wales Ambulance (NSWA) has brought its first PC-24 into service, according to a statement. The aircraft, known as the Super Versatile Jet due to its wide range of deployment and equipment options, is manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft AG, based in Stans in the canton of Nidwalden.
In 2021, the NSWA decided to purchase two PC-24s with ambulance equipment to increase its operational capabilities, according to the statement. The two PC-24s will provide services to the population of the state of New South Wales, which covers an area of over 800,000 square kilometers. It is anticipated that the jet will conduct around 800 flights and transport over 6,500 patients during the first year.
According to Pilatus, the PC-24 is the first ambulance aircraft with a separate loading door for patients. They can enter the jet via an electric loading device or a ramp. In addition to the medical equipment, the pressurized cabin offers space for three patient beds and seats for the staff. Oxygen, vacuum and power supply systems are available for continuous patient monitoring and care. There is a second separate power supply system for the cabin.
“The PC-24 is a highly sought after platform for many of the top aeromedical organizations around the world. Like the aircraft, the aeromedical configuration has proven itself in some of the harshest operating conditions anywhere,” Sebastian Lip, CEO of Pilatus Australia, is quoted as saying in the statement.
Pilatus has been producing ambulance aircraft for 30 years. Customers include the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) in Australia, Ornge (Ontario Air Ambulance Service) in Canada and Kommunalförbundet Svenskt Ambulansflyg (KSA) in Sweden.
