AgustaWestland, June 14, 2006 - AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica Company, is pleased to announce that the Queensland Government of Australia has signed a contract for three AW139 medium-twin helicopters configured for Search and Rescue (SAR) and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) missions.
The Queensland Government is the latest of many commercial and government customers which have recently chosen the AW139 for SAR and EMS applications.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said the three AW139 helicopters will be delivered over four years, with the first to be operational next July, He went on to say "The AW139 has greater range and better night capabilities than the current helicopters …. we'll be the first in Australia to have them and we'll be at the cutting edge of these sorts of services."
The improved performance of the AW139s will take nearly 25 minutes off a two-hour retrieval mission, significantly increasing patients' survival odds and will be able to perform rescues over water at night time, which is currently not possible with the existing fleet.
The helicopters will be operated by Queensland Rescue, part of the Queensland Department of Emergency Services' Counter Disaster and Rescue Services' division. The helicopter rescue service is dedicated to safeguarding the welfare of Queenslanders, their property and visitors to the State, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Queensland Rescue operates from three bases on the Queensland coast in Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns. With experienced and highly skilled pilots and crews, Queensland Rescue performs a wide range of rescue and recovery operations including SAR over sea and land, air evacuations of critically ill patients, hospital patient transfers, evacuation of people in times of disaster, fire fighting and police support.
This contract brings the number of firm orders for the AW139 to over 180, making it the best selling medium twin helicopter today. By June 2006 over 30 aircraft had been delivered to customers in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
The Queensland Government is the latest of many commercial and government customers which have recently chosen the AW139 for SAR and EMS applications.
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said the three AW139 helicopters will be delivered over four years, with the first to be operational next July, He went on to say "The AW139 has greater range and better night capabilities than the current helicopters …. we'll be the first in Australia to have them and we'll be at the cutting edge of these sorts of services."
The improved performance of the AW139s will take nearly 25 minutes off a two-hour retrieval mission, significantly increasing patients' survival odds and will be able to perform rescues over water at night time, which is currently not possible with the existing fleet.
The helicopters will be operated by Queensland Rescue, part of the Queensland Department of Emergency Services' Counter Disaster and Rescue Services' division. The helicopter rescue service is dedicated to safeguarding the welfare of Queenslanders, their property and visitors to the State, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Queensland Rescue operates from three bases on the Queensland coast in Brisbane, Townsville and Cairns. With experienced and highly skilled pilots and crews, Queensland Rescue performs a wide range of rescue and recovery operations including SAR over sea and land, air evacuations of critically ill patients, hospital patient transfers, evacuation of people in times of disaster, fire fighting and police support.
This contract brings the number of firm orders for the AW139 to over 180, making it the best selling medium twin helicopter today. By June 2006 over 30 aircraft had been delivered to customers in Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
See also |
AW139 in
Local Governments QGAir
Queensland Government Air Australia Air Ambulances 
