June 3, 2022
Brisbane Airport Corporation’s new $72 million aeromedical hub – which will handle LifeFlight, QGAir and Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) aircraft – has received a $60.2 million boost from the State Government.
The Queensland Regional Aeromedical Base, scheduled for completion in April 2024, will be a 14,470 sq m multi-tenanted facility located between Brisbane Airport’s two runways at the Airport North Precinct.
It will also accommodate Queensland Health and QAS facilities and feature new patient transfer facilities, state-of-the-art hangars for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, and training and administration areas.
The State Government’s contribution includes $25 million to RFDS and $10.4m for LifeFlight Australia to assist with their contributions to the hub; and $24.8 million in advance rent for State agencies including QHealth’s Retrieval Services Queensland and QGAir.
LifeFlight Australia Deputy Chair Jim Elder said it would be one the most advanced aeromedical centres in the country.
“LifeFlight will have the capacity to house the unique combination of two Challenger 604 fixed-wing aircraft and two highly advanced AW139 helicopters in a purpose-built hangar,” he said.
“The patient transfer centre will be the most advanced of its kind.
“Positioning it centrally between the hangars of all three aeromedical services will ensure smooth, integrated treatment of patients, which will be particularly vital if we are helping multiple people being airlifted from significant mass casualty events.”
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Royal Flying Doctor Service
- RFDS lands on average 10 times a day in Brisbane; 12,318 patients were flown in 2021
- 8.37 million kilometres flown in 2021
- RFDS has 20 aircraft, nine bases 96 nurses, 71 pilots, 58 doctors and 32 engineers
RACQ LifeFlight Rescue
- RACQ LifeFlight Rescue’s helicopters, air ambulance jets, critical care doctors, flight nurses and flight paramedics helped 6846 people in 2021
- The helicopters flew a total of 3450 hours in 2021
- There are seven helicopters ready respond, one special mission rescue helicopter and three Challenger 604 air ambulance jets
- LifeFlight has six helicopter and two air ambulance bases in Queensland
- There are 51 pilots, 20 aircrew officers, 150 critical care doctors, 17 flight nurses, 36 flight paramedics (including QAS).
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Treasurer Cameron Dick also announced a new 10-year deal between the State Government and the RFDS on Friday.
The $334 million in funding will be included in this month’s State Budget.
