StarFlight Australia launched
StarFlight Australia will offer helicopter EMS, SAR and firefighting services in Australasia.
Two aviation organisations have joined forces to officially launch Australia’s latest aviation company, StarFlight Australia, which will offer helicopter EMS and SAR services in Australasia. The company will also use Ka-32A11BC helicopters for aerial firefighting.
The joint venture company has been established as a partnership between CareFlight Group of Queensland, Australia, and Turkish firm Kaan Air.
StarFlight chairman Ferda Yildiz commented: “I am excited to be here in Brisbane to officially launch StarFlight Australia. Our company is new, but the two organisations of Kaan Air and CareFlight Group bring more than 50 years of combined industry experience to the table. We can offer Australian, New Zealand and Asia Pacific organisations new solutions for their rotary wing requirements.”
The new company said it will provide government agencies, commercial entities, as well as private organisations and operators throughout Australasia and Southeast Asia with specialised turn-key solutions for a diverse range of aviation services requiring a rotary-wing platform, including emergency response, surveillance, aerial firefighting, utility and logistical transport services.
StarFlight Australia’s CEO John Skeen said the company’s approach was to partner with current operators rather than compete, with a view to increasing the capability of national and state fire authorities and to join with partners to offer and provide the latest helicopter technology: “This can be achieved through assisting with improving service as well as access to new and more capable equipment. For example, StarFlight can access the latest EASA and CASA-approved Kamov Ka-32A11BC helicopter, fully equipped and compliant for firefighting in Australia and Southeast Asia regions.” He continued: “Australia’s climate has been trending toward more bushfire weather for decades, and the threat to property, vegetation, livestock and human lives has increased. There’s a lot of pressure on governments and service providers to increase firefighting resources throughout the country, particularly in terms of rotary-wing attack.”
StarFlight also said it will provide nationally-recognised training services through joint partner Careflight Group’s Training Academy. Skeen explained: “Not only can we provide turn-key academy base or operator base training for any HEMS and SAR programme, but the introduction next year of a full flight Level D AW139 flight simulator will increase training capability substantially.”