Pel-Air awarded A$300 million contract for Victoria
The new contract will extend the provider’s operations in the Australian state until 2036, and includes the provision of four new Beechcraft King Air planes
Pel-Air has signed a new A$300 million contract with the state of Victoria to continue operating its air ambulance service for another 12 years.
The Rex Airlines subsidiary has been the state’s official air ambulance provider July 2011, having been awarded a previous contract in December 2009.
The contract, which officially begins in January 2024, includes the provision of pilots, engineering support and four Beechcraft King Air fixed-wing aircraft, and will run until 2036.
The aircraft will be delivered in 2022, and will undergo aeromedical modifications to meet the requirements of state agency Ambulance Victoria, ahead of entering service.
“The new fleet will optimise patient care through innovation and improved efficiency. Our patients will benefit from a reduction in transfer time between road ambulances and the aircraft, which in turn helps get our crews back on road faster,” said Ambulance Victoria CEO, Professor Tony Walker.
Pel-Air also began operating air ambulance services in NSW in January
Pel-Air also started operating a similar air ambulance service in the state of New South Wales in January 2022 under a 10-year contract, replacing previous incumbent, the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Under the provisions of that contract, Pel-Air acquired five Beechcraft King Air 350 air ambulance turboprop aircraft.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.