CareFlight NT double chopper, medi-vac fleet with $20m federal investment

CareFlight NT has officially launched its second rescue chopper while another medi-jet is set to arrive early next year. Here’s how the new aircraft will help save lives.

From search and rescues at sea to remote road accidents, births and everything in between, CareFlight now has complete coverage over the Territory.

A long-awaited second rescue chopper was officially launched on Tuesday, however the AW139 aircraft started operating last month – just days before it responded to the horror Osprey crash that killed three US Marines.

CareFlight Chair Dr Andrew Refshauge said the $19.95m federal government investment, which also includes a second medi-jet, meant medevac services would be available year-round.

“We retrieve 4000 patients a year, which is a large number to do this area and we need the facilities to do it,” he said.

CareFlight Chair Dr Andrew Refshauge said the rescue choppers needed a lot of maintenance. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“The AW139, now having two of them, means that when maintenance is on there’s another one there, it means that the Territory is covered.

“Because of the sophistication of these helicopters, they need a lot of maintenance.”

Dr Refshauge said the benefit of having two identical choppers meant parts, which often have to come from the aircraft manufacturer in Italy, could be swapped between the two helicopters as needed.

He said previously, the single chopper would be available 85 per cent of the year at best.

“We were often finding it difficult (to achieve) that, in fact, there were some months when it was almost not available,” he said.

“So it’s a major advantage having this second helicopter.”

CareFlight NT’s new AW139 rescue chopper arrived in August. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The two choppers join CareFlight NT’s fixed wing medi-jet, which is mainly tasked with interstate patient transfers or deploying the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre’s Australian Medical Assistance Team to domestic and international emergencies.

The almost $20m package will also deliver a second Gulfstream G150 medi-jet to the Top End early next year.

“Using that jet will mean they get there faster, like days faster, because often using other aircraft takes a couple of days to get organised,” Dr Refshauge said.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling has been pushing the federal government to invest in CareFlight NT for several years. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Solomon MP Luke Gosling said the additional chopper had already helped CareFlight staff save lives, including the 20 Marines who were retrieved from the Osprey crash over the Tiwi Islands.

“It’s not just retrieving people from our communities, it’s not just getting people down to our major hospitals in the south, it’s getting patients, Territorians and visitors, to a higher level of care,” he said.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the doubled fleet would help tackle the tyranny of distance for Territorians needing lifesaving care.

“The additional helicopter and the additional jet will also make a difference not just to Territorians in the Top End, but to the AUSMAT team’s ability to project capability into our region,” he said.