Community
9 September, 2024
Vibrant new rescue choppers
TWO new emergency helicopters are ready to soar the skies of the Cape and the Torres Strait providing emergency healthcare as part of the state government’s $288 million investment 10-year plan.
Two multi-mission Leonardo AW139 helicopters will be deployed to the region, covering an area of more than 130,000 square kilometres over the Torres Strait and northern Cape York Peninsula to ensure emergency care to remote communities.
The choppers are part of a fully funded $288 million Miles Government investment in emergency helicopter services for the region over the next decade and will replace two Bell 412 helicopters.
Badu Island artist Alick Tipoti has designed the new helicopters’ striking artwork, with the colours and designs representative of the local communities the helicopters will serve.
Provider Babcock Australia oversaw the project, arranging the fit out through Five Rings Aerospace and finalising the adaptations through Skytek in Cairns.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the “amazing helicopters will be taking to the sky across the most beautiful but also most remote parts of our state and I’m so thrilled that we engaged the world-renowned artist Alick Tipoti to do the artwork on these helicopters”.
“Not only will these brand-new helicopters safely transfer patients and deliver emergency health care, but they will also provide enhanced search and rescue capability which is a critical service in the region.”
Each helicopter has enhanced capability including increased speed and range, improved search and rescue, and a powered stretcher loading system.
