Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service selects FlightAware for remote enhanced flight tracking

FlightAware, a division of Collins Aerospace, has announced the iconic Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (Queensland Section) has selected FlightAware as a solution for their operationally demanding flight tracking needs.

While the FlightAware platform is utilized by all RFDS operations across Australia, the RFDS Queensland Section is investing in the full suite of capabilities and is now an active FlightAware Global Platinum, GlobalBeacon and AeroAPI customer.

Global Platinum offers 100% global flight tracking coverage and includes Aireon’s space-based ADS-B technology to accurately track RFDS aircraft from takeoff to touchdown in the most remote locations they serve. GlobalBeacon is a first-in-kind industry-leading satellite-based ADS-B from Aireon and FlightAware for minute-by-minute position updates that exceed modern safety standards.

FlightAware’s Global Beacon web-based alerting dashboard combines Aireon space-based ADS-B position data with FlightAware’s technology and worldwide flight database to provide real-time 4D aircraft positions and customizable alerts for immediate notification of aircraft in distress. It’s a true turn-key solution complementing existing tools and systems to provide RFDS operators the peace of mind their fleet is continuously monitored, even in the most remote locations.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service motto is the finest care to the furthest corner, and the renowned healthcare organization provides vital aeromedical retrieval and primary healthcare services across nearly five million square miles of rural and remote Australia. While the continent is similar in size to the contiguous United States, it has a much smaller population primarily spread across coastal regions. Those living in the outback must often travel vast distances for medical care, especially to hospitals and specialist physicians.

Founded in 1928 by the Reverend John Flynn, the RFDS provides emergency patient retrieval flights in addition to essential healthcare services for people who might not be able to gain regular medical assistance due to long distances. The RFDS assists over 387,000 people each year, or one person every 90 seconds, and operates a fleet of 79 aircraft including helicopters, turboprops, and jets.

The RFDS (Queensland Section) is one of six Federated Sections and covers over a quarter of Australia. FlightAware’s AeroAPI has proven critical to their operation, facilitating data tracking integrations into operational systems and displays, significantly improving their situational awareness of crews and fleet assets, and allowing dispatchers to see aircraft power-ons, surface movements, take-offs, and landings in real-time.

RFDS Data Analytics & Integrations Manager Nick Warwick said, “FlightAware’s team support has been exceptional. We provide some unique use-cases for the FlightAware platform, including multiple diversions, constantly changing flight plans and operations in very remote areas. The team has been very keen to learn about our organization, what we do, and how they help us to provide that “mantle of safety” to our crews operating in the remotest parts of Australia. FlightAware’s Global Platinum tracking service, combining Aireon satellite-based ADS-B and terrestrial ADS-B networks, means we can accurately track our aircraft to the ground in the most remote locations we serve. Updates occur every 30 seconds no matter where the aircraft is.”

Warwick added, “The game-changer for us is FlightAware’s AeroAPI data service. We obtain automatic notification of key flight events and comprehensive flight history details for every flight. We’ve integrated this flight tracking data into our operational systems and display this with other relevant information to our tasking officers, greatly improving situational awareness of our crews and fleet.”

Leigh Aynsley, RFDS Manager Operations Control Centre, said, “From an operations perspective, we are seeing benefits such as the ability of our tasking dashboards to interrogate FlightAware via AeroAPI, thus ensuring that our OCC always has visibility of up-to-date ETAs and critical information. We also appreciate being able to customize reports that help monitor and manage contract KPIs which is extremely beneficial.”

FlightAware President Matt Davis said, “We’re honored to be working with such an esteemed organization as Australia’s RFDS that performs day-in and day-out critical flight care to people in need. FlightAware looks forward to continuing optimizing their operations with AeroAPI and enhancing their remote flight safety through our Global Platinum and Global Beacon tracking solutions.”

More information is available at: flightaware.com/global and flightaware.com/globalbeacon

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 14th September 2023 | Issue #715