The Queensland Division of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) started construction of their $25 million training base with a sod-turning ceremony last week.
Announced in March this year, the base will house a TRUSystem Beech King Air 350/360 simulator to be used for training and currency for RFDS pilots.
The facility is jointly funded, with $14.9 million from the Federal Government and $3 million from QCoal Foundation.The land for the facility has been donated by Bundaberg Regional Council and the RFDS will fund the remainder of the project through fundraising.
“Today’s sod turning is an important milestone for the flying doctor," said RFDS QLD CEO Meredith Staib.
“I’m incredibly excited to see work commence on our new aviation training facility which will help support the ongoing training of our highly skilled pilots, as well as pilots from across Australia and Asia.
“This purpose-built facility will play a vital role as we head towards 100 years of the flying doctor, with innovative aviation and training technology on our doorstep helping to ensure the continuity of world-class training for our pilots and crew – allowing them to continue to provide the finest care to patients right across Queensland.
“This new facility simply wouldn’t be possible without the support of our long-standing partners QCoal Foundation, as well as the Australian government and Bundaberg Regional Council – we’re enormously thankful for their support.”
The new facility will be constructed next to the existing RFDS Bundaberg Base. Once built, RFDS pilots from across Queensland will spend at least two weeks at the training facility each year, while non-RFDS pilots will also be able to use the simulator for their endorsements or recurrent training for King Air aircraft.
The training base is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.