LifeFlight Australia

This article is about the aero-medical organisation based in Queensland, formerly known as CareFlight. For the aero-medical organisation based in New South Wales, see CareFlight.

LifeFlight Australia
Formation1979
HeadquartersBrisbane, QLD
ServicesAeromedical (Primary)
Key people
Ashley van der Velde
SubsidiariesRACQ LifeFlight Rescue

LifeFlight Commercial LifeFlight Training Academy LifeFlight Air Ambulance

LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine
Websitehttps://www.lifeflight.org.au
Formerly called
Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service (GCHRS) (1981 - 1993) 
            CareFlight Queensland (1993 - 2007)
            CareFlight Group Queensland (2007 - 2014)
CareFlight Group (2014 - 2016)
RACQ CareFlight Rescue Bell 412 Helicopter (VH-XCF).

LifeFlight Australia is an aeromedical organisation headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Until July 2016, it was known as CareFlight, but was renamed to avoid confusion with the CareFlight organisation headquartered in New South Wales. LifeFlight has helped over 81,000 people since 1979.[1]

History

In 1981, the Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service was established on the Gold Coast to provide rapid rescue services on the Gold Coast beaches and hinterland via helicopter. In 1992, under the new name of CareFlight Group QLD Limited, the rescue services were expanded to cover southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. In 1993, the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland became the naming rights sponsor with the service then known as RACQ CareFlight.[2]

In 2013, CareFlight merged with the Sunshine Coast Helicopter Rescue Service, which had started in December 1979 with its first mission flown from the Big Cow on the Bruce Highway.

CareFlight Group Air Ambulance (Bombardier Learjet 45) at Darwin Airport, 2010

In 2013 former Queensland Premier Rob Borbidge became chairman of Careflight.[3]

Clive Berghofer of Toowoomba has been a generous benefactor of the organisation. By 2014, he had donated $1 million over 10 years.[4][5] His contribution is recognised by naming the organisation's hangar at Toowoomba City Aerodrome after him and the helicopter that operates from Toowoomba.[5]

On 11 July 2016, Rob Borbidge, chairman of CareFlight, announced that the organisation would be renamed LifeFlight to avoid confusion with a similar organisation - CareFlight New South Wales. The organisation would be renamed LifeFlight. RACQ remain the major naming rights sponsor of the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter service.[6]

Bases

Australia: Brisbane Airport, Archerfield Airport, Sunshine Coast Airport, Toowoomba Airport, Bundaberg, Roma, Mount Isa Airport

Singapore: Seletar Airport

Subsidiaries

RACQ LifeFlight Rescue: LifeFlight Australia is most commonly known for its subsidiary RACQ LifeFlight Rescue, which is a not-for-profit community rescue service utilising Rotary and Fixed Wing aircraft. The aircraft are generally staffed by a Pilot, Aircrew Officer, Flight Paramedic or Nurse and a Critical Care Doctor.[7] The naming rights sponsor is RACQ, a motoring club and mutual organisation, providing roadside assistance, insurance, travel, finance and other services.

LifeFlight Commercial: In close conjunction with Starflight, this is the commercial arm of LifeFlight and provides: Program management, Contract Management and oversight, Stakeholder engagement, Performance management, Support services (Ie: Finance/HR etc), Communications Media/Marketing.[8]

LifeFlight Training Academy: This is a training arm of LifeFlight which completes training of aircrews and doctors for operations in the aviation industry. Located at Brisbane Airport, the facility is home to Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET), a full size THALES AW139 Simulator, indoor pool, VR Simulators - both Medical and Aircrew - as well as classrooms.[9]

LifeFlight Air Ambulance: The Fixed Wing arm of the fleet consisting of Bombardier Challenger 600 conducting domestic and international aeromedical missions. They are crewed by a Captain, First Officer, Critical Care Doctor and a Flight Nurse.[1]

Fleet

Current Fleet

LifeFlight AgustaWestland AW139 Special Mission Helicopter at Wagga Wagga Airport in October 2022

As of October 2022, the LifeFlight Australia fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Aircraft In Service Notes
Bell 412 EP 3 VH-XCI currently on contract to Rotor-Lift Aviation on behalf of Ambulance Tasmania. [10]
Agusta AW139 11 VH-PVO, VH-PVQ and VH-PVR operated by StarFlight Australia on behalf of Victoria Police. [11][12]
Eurocopter AS.350BA 1 [10]
MBB-BK 117 1 [10]
Bombardier CL-600 4 [13][10]
Total 16

References

  1. ^ a b "Air Ambulance Jets". LifeFlight Australia. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Our History". LifeFlight. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Hon Rob Borbidge AO". LifeFlight. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  4. ^ Katrina Strickland, 'Giving It Away: Clive Berghofer', The Australian Financial Review Magazine: The Wealth Issue, July 2014, p. 30
  5. ^ a b "Clive Berghofer honoured by CareFlight". LifeFlight (Queensland). 15 April 2014. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  6. ^ "CareFlight renames as LifeFlight". Australian Aviation. 11 July 2016. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Our crew". LifeFlight Australia. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Our capabilities". LifeFlight Australia. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Facilities". LifeFlight Australia. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d "Fleet and bases". LifeFlight Australia. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  11. ^ "New Land Rover LifeFlight Special Mission chopper goes above and beyond". LifeFlight Australia. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  12. ^ "LifeFlight's AW139 fleet marks major milestone". LifeFlight Australia. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  13. ^ "LifeFlight launches aeromedical base in Singapore". LifeFlight Australia. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.

Media related to LifeFlight Australia at Wikimedia Commons