LifeFlight Australia

LifeFlight Australia is an aero-medical 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. Over 62,000 Critical Rescues have been completed since 1979.[1]

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
(CEO) Michael Griffiths
SubsidiariesRACQ LifeFlight Rescue LifeFlight Commercial LifeFlight Training Academy LifeFlight Air Ambulance
Websitelifeflight.org.au
Formerly called
Careflight
RACQ CareFlight Bell 412 Rescue Helicopter, 2007

History

In 1981 the Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service was established on the Gold Coast by Ashley van de Velde 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 sponsored the service with naming rights so the service became known as RACQ CareFlight.[2]

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 non for profit community rescue service utilising Rotary and Fixed Wing aircraft. The service runs off generous donations and large government supported funding. The aircraft are generally staffed by a Pilot, Aircrew Officer, Intensive care flight paramedic or nurse and Queensland Health Critical Care Doctor.[7] The Primary 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 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 Learjet 45's and 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] The Jets are commonly used by insurance companies and for use on behalf of Queensland Health.

Fleet

Current Fleet
LifeFlight AgustaWestland AW139 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 [10]
Agusta AW139 7 [11][12]
Eurocopter AS.350BA 1 [10]
MBB-BK 117 1 [10]
Bombardier CL-600 4 [13][10]
Total 16

References
  1. "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. "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. "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 (Queensland) at Wikimedia Commons

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