How bigger RFDS planes will work with small rural airstrips

Described on the RFDS Queensland webpage as revolutionising aeromedical care in Australia, western Queensland mayors were told at a Remote Area Planning and Development Board meeting that the introduction of the Beechcraft King Air 360CHW turboprop aircraft meant the RFDS had to meet different Civil Aviation Safety Authority regulations.

"The RFDS has embraced these because they bring a higher level of safety," acting executive general manager of the aviation, engineering and logistics section, Pete Elliott said. "The B360 is heavier than the B200, which isn't being made anymore, and operates under a different set of regulations."

Those mean that an Obstacle Limitations Surfaces survey would need to be done every 12 months for airstrips to remain compliant, at a cost of $8000, and the nominal distance for a B360 plane to be able to land in most weather conditions is 1300 metres.

At first these requirements sounded difficult for some councils to overcome but as RAPAD chair Tony Rayner said, once they heard the full story they understood the logic.

"We'd heard there might be adjustments to the strips that could be used but we didn't have the full context," he said.

"Big towns already have strips that can accommodate the bigger plane, and it's my understanding that the $8000 we already have to pay is covered by funding.

"If it wasn't, we'd still probably pay that amount - we can't afford to be without the best the RFDS offers."

Barcoo Shire mayor Sally O'Neil was one who was initially shocked at the $8000 fee but has since been assured the strip at Windorah, which is a registered airport, would be covered by an existing OLS survey.

"I believe (the strip at) Jundah is the right length so that shouldn't be too much of a drama, and with the smaller strip at Stonehenge, they'll just send a smaller plane," she said. "We wouldn't spend money to upgrade the strip to accommodate a bigger plane."

In response to a question from Cr O'Neil about whether the B360, described as enhancing efficiency and safety, and improving the RFDS's payload and range, could land on the emergency road strips in her shire, Mr Elliott said they more than likely wouldn't send the bigger plane to an accident there.

An official response stated that the RFDS would continue to operate the B200 as they have done for many years and if a road landing was called for, a B200 would be utilised.

The RFDS is investing in seven B360 aircraft, which will be stationed at Brisbane, Rockhampton and Townsville.

Mr Elliott said its 11 B200 planes would remain in operation for "quite some time", adding that, where possible, they would always have aircraft capable of getting into the strips they'd always been able to get into.

In response a question from Blackall-Tambo mayor Andrew Martin about replacement plans for the B200 aircraft once they'd "done their time", Mr Elliott said they were currently going through a body of work but were working through parameters with Textron to see if its B260 would be a viable replacement.

Also speaking with RAPAD at the Blackall meeting, RFDS operations manager Anthony Hooper said it was important to remember the changes were coming out of the new regulations they had to adapt to.

"The world has changed - once, you never had to wear seatbelts in cars," he said.

Cr Rayner said they were very grateful that the RFDS service to the region kept improving, given its importance to liveability.