02 March 2020: Textron Aviation and Pel-Air signed a purchase contract for 5 Beechcraft King Air 350 air ambulance turboprop aircraft. These aircraft will be used by NSW Air Ambulance which provides emergency service in New South Wales. Deliveries are expected to begin later this year and run through 2021.
"We're very proud that NSW Ambulance has chosen to continue to stay with the King Airs in support of its critical emergency service operational needs in New South Wales," said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Defence & Special Mission Sales for Textron Aviation. "The King Air is the world leader in turboprop special missions because of the aircraft's unmatched capabilities and reliability. Continuing to be the supplier of choice for emergency services in Australia is a testament to the King Air's performance when each minute matters."
The King Air has the largest King Air fleet in the Asia Pacific region and provides unrivalled performance in terms of operational cost, speed and runway access throughout New South Wales.
"The King Air has proven itself very adept for special missions, particularly for air ambulance operations in New South Wales, where much of the need is to and from rural areas and unimproved runways that dominate our service area," said Eugene Lee, Chief Operating Officer of Pel-Air. "A key to our success has been the timely customer service from Textron Aviation, who has already been supporting Pel-Air's King Air fleet for the past 10 years in the Ambulance Victoria contract. We are confident that this excellent support will continue in the NSW Ambulance contract."
Textron Aviation supports nearly 200 King Air aircraft in a variety of configurations throughout Australia. The King Air aircraft is configured for multi-stretcher operations, large, versatile cabin to accommodate a range of customized configurations for a variety of special mission needs and quipped with the aft cargo door and heavy weight options for additional performance capabilities. Due to the long range and high-dash speed of the twin-turboprop it is ideal for providing the urgency required for critical care transport, regardless of the location.