New training centre opens on Sunshine Coast
Australian air ambulance operator the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has announced the launch of a new pilot training centre on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
Australian air ambulance operator the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has announced the launch of a new pilot training centre on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. The centre has been created by aviation solution provider Flight Options.
RFDS said that its pilots will use the facility to undergo simulator training to get used to the newly introduced Beechcraft B350 plane. It also said there are plans to introduce the KingAir B200 aircraft, of which the RFDS currently has 14 in its fleet. The simulator means that the charity no longer has to send their pilots to the US for training.
“The safety of our crew is paramount to the standard of care we deliver at the RFDS,” said Nino Di Marco, CEO of the Queensland section of the RFDS. “Without the most skilled and highly trained pilots, doctors and nurses, we simply would not be able to carry out the work we do in delivering the finest care to the furthest corner of the state.”
Di Marco added that the new centre would mean the pilots’ training would be more accessible and therefore more in-depth.