• Holding image hero
/Global/Promotional%20Tiles/new.piechart.png
  • Decrease font size
  • Increase font size
  • Print this page

Royal Flying Doctor Service Aircraft Dedication

RFDS dedication

Variety SA last year pledged $600,000 to RFDS to enable a complete medical fit out of a brand new Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. The official dedication ceremony of the new aircraft took place on October 27.

The aircraft known as VH-FVA is the first of five new medically-equipped Pilatus PC-12 aircraft to be introduced to the Central Operations fleet over the calendar year and is worth $6 million, the total project costing $30 million.

John Lynch, CEO of RFDS Central Operations said “We rely on the support of the community to help purchase and medically-equip our replacement aircraft – and we applaud the generosity of Variety, the children’s charity for its grant to enable the medical fit-out of this very aircraft and its conversion to a ‘flying intensive care unit’.

“Since July, VH-FVA alone has transferred 31 children injured or critically ill to/from all regions of the State to the Women’s & Children’s Hospital in Adelaide for higher levels of care, including one young child interstate in preparation for a lung transplant,” Mr Lynch said.

This is the second medical fit out on an RFDS aircraft that Variety SA has funded, the first being in 2002, with the aircraft, VH-FGT still continuing to serve the community.

Sylvia Andersons, Chief Executive of Variety SA, said ‘Our partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service is another great way of showing how the valuable dollars that are raised through our events like the SA Variety Bash and the Variety Santa Fun Run really help to make a tangible difference to the lives of South Australian children in need.’

Mr Lynch added the Variety SA grants acknowledge the important role that property owners and rural communities play in the success of the annual SA Variety Bash throughout South Australia and the Northern Territory.