The CareFlight Group Queensland operates three full-time rescue helicopters – the Bell 412, the Bell 230 and the AS350BA Squirrel - for domestic retrievals. It also operates Australia’s only 24/7 medically configured and staffed rescue jets – the Lear 36A and Lear 45 - for international and domestic retrievals.

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The Bell 412

The Bell 412 is a twin-turbine, single-main rotor, medium-lift helicopter designed to carry up to 15 people, including one or two pilots, with 13 passenger seats fitted to the rear cabin.

CareFlight has configured its Bell 412 to carry up to 10 people, however we typically carry four crew and one or two patients. The aircraft has the capacity to carry up to four stretcher patients.

The Bell 412 is also fitted with a winch for rescues and a hook for external load carriage, including fire-fighting buckets.

Four crew operate the helicopter: a pilot who flies and navigates; a crewman who coordinates the response and assists the pilot plus a doctor and paramedic who provide specialist medical care to the patient both at the scene and en route to a hospital.

The maximum gross weight of the helicopter is 11,900 pounds (about 5,3 tonne). With a standard fuel load of 2000 lb, we can fly for about 150 minutes and travel about 450 kilometres.

The primary structure of the fuselage is aluminium alloy with fibreglass panels and honeycomb structures. The forward fuselage includes the cabin with laminated glass windscreens, acrylic plastic windows, crew doors, cargo/passenger doors, pylon and engine cowls and landing gear.

The aft tailboom structure is of semi-monocoque, all metal construction. The assembly includes the tail rotor driveshaft covers, vertical fin, elevators, baggage compartment and tail skid.

The cockpit can accommodate two crew, with the pilot occupying the right hand seat. Our Bell 412 is fully equipped for instrument flying conditions with multiple navigation aids, including GPS and a fully coupled autopilot.

In the rear cabin, apart from the three aft-facing medical officers’ seats, the  CareFlight helicopter is equipped with two stretchers (fitted fore/aft when carrying two patients or across the cabin for one patient). Specialist medical equipment, such as a ventilator, heart and vital signs monitor, defibrillator, and electronic drug administering equipment,is carried on all flights.

Landing Gear

The skid landing gear fitted to CareFlight's Bell 412 is made of aluminium alloy. It consists of two main skid tubes connected by two arched cross tubes. The gear is rugged and is designed to absorb energy is the event of a hard landing. The skid tubes are fitted with steel ‘shoes’ to provide wear resistance.

Engines

The Bell 412 is powered by a Pratt and Whitney PT6T-3BF ‘TwinPac’, rated at 1,800 shaft horsepower. The TwinPac consists of two identical free turbine turboshaft engines, which drive a common reduction gearbox (or C-box). Each engine is totally separate and independent in operation thus providing true twin-engine reliability.

The engines are mounted side by side on the engine work deck. Each engine is attached to and powers the C-box, which combines engine power and drives the main transmission via a single main driveshaft. The C-box incorporates two clutch assemblies that provide positive drive to the main transmission yet allow for freewheeling if one or both engines fail. Each engine is equipped with its own air management, fuel, starting, ignition, lubrication, and fire protection systems.

Powertrain

The Bell 412 powertrain distributes engine power to the main and tail rotors and other subsystems. The powertrain includes the main drive shaft, main transmission, main rotor mast and tail rotor drive system.

The main transmission reduces engine/C-box drive shaft RPM from approximately 6,600 rpm to the main rotor’s 324 rpm. It also drives the tail rotor system, both hydraulic pumps and the main transmission oil pump.

The tail rotor drive system consists of five drafts shafts and intermediate and tail rotor gearboxes.

Main and Tail Rotor

The Bell 412 has a rigid, soft-in-plane, flex-beam main rotor system. Its four rotor blades give a softer, more comfortable ride with reduced vibration levels when compared to a two bladed system. The blades are made of composite material with a stainless steel/titanium leading edge abrasion strip. The main rotor hub is made from solid titanium providing immense strength and flexibility without metal fatigue.

The tail rotor is used to counteract main rotor torque and provide heading control when hovering. The two blades are attached to a hub that's mounted on the tail rotor gearbox. A pitch change mechanism connects the tail rotor flight controls to the tail rotor blades to provide a change in tail rotor thrust.

Specifications

(Because it is an American manufactured helicopter, all dimensions and weights are in Imperial measures. Metric approximations are in brackets.)

Airframe
Overall length (rotor turning) 56ft 2in (17.1m)
Fuselage length 45ft 11in (14.0m)
Height (tail rotor horizontal) 11ft 5 in (3.5m)

Main Rotor
Diameter 46ft (14.0m)
Chord 1ft 2in (0.37m)
Engine-to-rotor gear ratio 20.38:1
Tip speed 780 ft/sec (240m/s)
Rotor RPM 324rpm

Tail Rotor
Diameter 8ft 7in (2.6m)
Chord 11.5in (0.30m)
Tip speed 745ft/sec (230m/s)
Rotor RPM 1,660rpm

Engine
Manufacturer Pratt and Whitney of Canada
Model Number PT6T-3BF
Single-engine 2 ½ minute power limit 1,025shp

Weights
Empty Weight 6,500lb (2950kg)
CareFlight Normal Operational Weight 11,400lb (5170kg)
Maximum Takeoff Weight 11,900lb (5400kg)

Fuel
Type Jet A1 (AVTUR)
Capacity (internal) 211 US Gal (800 litres)
Capacity with external tanks 300 US Gal (1140 litres)

Performance
Maximum Altitude 20,000ft (6100m)
Normal Operating Altitude 3-8,000ft (1-2500m)
Maximum Indicated Airspeed 140 knots (260km/h)
Normal Cruise Airspeed 120 knots (220km/h)
Maximum Airspeed with Cargo Doors Open 60 knots (110km/h)
Maximum sideways or rearwards flight 20 knots (35km/h) 

 

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Introducing the Bell 230

The Bell 230 is a twin-turbine, single-main rotor, intermediate-lift helicopter designed to carry up to 8 people, including one or two pilots, with 6 passenger seats fitted to the rear cabin.

RACQ CareFlight has configured its Bell 230 to carry up to six people - four crew and two patients. 

Four crew operate the helicopter: a pilot who flies and navigates; a crewman who coordinates the response and assists the pilot; and a doctor and paramedic who provide specialist medical care to the patient both at the scene and en route to a hospital.

Fuselage

The primary structure of the fuselage is aluminium alloy with fibreglass panels and honeycomb structures. The forward fuselage includes the cabin with laminated glass windscreens, acrylic plastic windows, crew doors, cargo/passenger doors, pylon and engine cowls and landing gear.

The aft tailboom structure is of semi-monocoque, all metal construction. The assembly includes the tail rotor driveshaft covers, vertical fin, elevators, baggage compartment and tail skid.

The cockpit can accommodate two crew, with the pilot occupying the right hand seat. Our Bell 230 is fully equipped for instrument flying conditions with many navigation aids, including GPS, and a fully coupled autopilot.

In the rear cabin, apart from the three aft-facing medical officers’ seats, the RACQ CareFlight helicopter is equipped with two stretchers (fitted fore/aft when carrying two patients or across the cabin for one patient). Specialist medical equipment, such as a ventilator, heart and vital signs monitor, defibrillator, and electronic drug administering equipment, is carried on all flights.

Landing Gear

The skid landing gear, fitted to the RACQ CareFlight's Bell 230 is made of aluminium alloy. It consists of two main skid tubes connected by two arched cross tubes. The gear is rugged and is designed to absorb energy is the event of a hard landing. The skid tubes are fitted with steel ‘shoes’ to provide wear resistance.

Engines

The Bell 230 is powered by two Rolls-Royce 250-C30G/2 turboshaft engines, rated at 700 shaft horsepower per engine. The engines are horizontally mounted side by side and drive independently into the main transmission. The engines have separate air intakes, exhaust ducts, fuel systems, oil systems, and controls for simultaneous or independent engine operation and twin-engine reliability. A torque limiting system is used in twin-engine operation. Each engine is supported to the engine deck by three bipod mounts.

Powertrain

The Bell 230 powertrain distributes engine power to the main and tail rotors and other subsystems. The powertrain includes the main drive shaft, main transmission, main rotor mast and tail rotor drive system.

The main transmission reduces engine drive shaft RPM from approximately 9,545 rpm to the main rotor’s 348 rpm. It also drives the tail rotor system, both hydraulic pumps and the main transmission oil pump.

The tail rotor drive system consists of five drafts shafts and a tail rotor gearbox.

Main and Tail Rotor

The Bell 230 has a semi-rigid, two-bladed main rotor head consisting of the main rotor hub and two stainless steel and fiberglass main rotor blades. The rotor head incorporates elastomeric bearings for hub springs, flapping and pitch change bearings.

The tail rotor is used to counteract main rotor torque and provide heading control when hovering. The two blades are attached to a hub that is mounted on the tail rotor gearbox. A pitch change mechanism connects the tail rotor flight controls to the tail rotor blades to provide a change in tail rotor thrust.

Specifications

(Because it is an American manufactured helicopter, all dimensions and weights are in Imperial measures. Metric approximations are in brackets.)

Airframe

Overall length (rotor turning) 50ft 5in (15.4m)
Fuselage length 42ft 6in (13.9m)
Height (tail rotor horizontal) 5ft 11 in (1.8m)

Main Rotor

Diameter 42ft (12.8m)
Chord 2ft 2in (0.37m)
Engine-to-rotor gear ratio 27.43:1 
Rotor RPM 348rpm

Tail Rotor

Diameter 6ft 10in (2.1m)
Chord 10in (0.25m) 
Rotor RPM 1,881rpm

Engine

Manufacturer Rolls-Royce  
Model Number 250-C30G/2  

Weights

Empty Weight 5,275lb (2393kg)

Fuel

Type Jet A1 (AVTUR)
Capacity (internal) 249.4 US Gal (944 litres)
Range        700km

Performance

Maximum Altitude 15,500ft (4724m)
Normal Operating Altitude 3-8,000ft (1-2500m)
Maximum Indicated Airspeed 140 knots (260km/h)
Normal Cruise Airspeed 120 knots (220km/h)  
Maximum sideways or rearwards flight 20 knots (35km/h) 

 

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CMS Air Ambulance

CMS Air Ambulance operates Australia’s only full-time medical rescue jets – two Learjets.

The Lear 36A has a range of 2,600nm, travels at 775km/hr or 420 knots and has a cruising altitude of up to 45,000 feet.

The Lear 45 has a range of 2,080nm, travels at 795km/hr and has a cruising altitude of up to 51,000 feet.

Both aircraft have pressurised cabins and are fitted out with world’s best practice medical equipment maintained to the highest standards under CareFlight’s quality assurance policies.

The Lear 36A has a single patient stretcher (Lifeport System), seating for two (2) medical crew and an additional seat for a single passenger, while the Lear 45 has twin stretcher capability.

Maintenance

Four full-time engineers and a full-time apprentice are employed by CareFlight to carry out the majority of maintenance work on the Bell 412, 230 and Squirrel AS350BA helicopters. Many people won’t know that for every hour the Bell 412 helicopter is in the air, three hours of maintenance is required. Doing this work in-house provides us with the ability to address maintenance related issues when they arise, without delay.

Work on the aircraft ranges from scheduled maintenance which can include main rotor changes, engine changes and 3,000 hourly airframe inspections, to unscheduled maintenance to address any problems with the aircraft as identified by the pilots.

Fuel Truck

In 2005, CareFlights dedicated donors responded to a special appeal allowing us to purchase our own fuel truck. 24/7 access to fuel is critical to the ongoing reliability and rapid response of our emergency serivce.

Special thanks must also go to the many businesses who donated their services to complete this work either free of charge or at reduced cost.

They are:

• Brisbane Isuzu
• Australasian Inspection Services
• Sun Engineering
• Industrial and Protective Coatings
• And, of course, the community

The Eurocopter AS350 Squirrel

The Eurocopter AS350BA Squirrel is a single engine, three bladed main rotor, light lift helicopter. It’s primarily designed to take one pilot and six passengers, or two pilots and 4 passengers. In its medical configuration it is equipped for a single pilot, two crew members and one patient. The crew consists of a pilot, paramedic and doctor. The helicopter can be equipped with an electric winch for rescue missions.

Due to its size the Squirrel is limited to only one patient, however its size and simplicity mean it can get off the ground in five minutes and access areas that are too small for CareFlight’s main aircraft, the Bell 412.

The aircrafts empty weight is 3180lbs (about 1500kgs). The standard fuel load is 540 litres which will give the AS350 about 180 minutes flight time and travel about 450 kilometers.

The Fuselage

The AS350 Fuselage comprises of a base frame of aluminium alloy and steel, with fibreglass and Kevlar panels and cowls. Multiple components install to the airframe including the Empenage (tailboom), engine, main rotor transmission and landing gear. All the windows and made of laminated acrylic which provide a very high level of visibility.

CareFlight’s Squirrel is equipped with a left hand sliding door for easier loading of the stretcher. The cabin contains seating for the pilot on the right hand side, seating for the crew at the aft, and a stretcher for the patient on the left hand side. The cabin also contains three oxygen outlets which is  connected to medical oxygen supply. Specialised medical equipment such as a heart monitor, ventilator, defibrillator and syringe drivers are all carried on a stretcher “bridge” which is a removal storage unit fitted to the stretcher.

Our Squirrel is equipped for night Visual Flight Rules which means it has back-lit instruments and redundant systems for increased safety of night flying. The instrument panel houses various flight and engine instruments, plus additional equipment that CareFlight has installed for air-medical tasking. These components are a Global positioning System (GPS), UHF and VHF Radios for communicating with all emergency services and hospitals, and a digital mobile phone.

Landing Gear

The landing gear of the Squirrel comprises of four supports known as cross tubes, and two skid tubes. These components are manufactured out of tubular aluminium alloy which is very strong and extremely light. Steel skid “shoes” are installed to the base of the skid tubes to protect the tubes on landings.

Engine and Power Train

The helicopter is powered by one Turbomeca Arriel 1B Turboshaft engine which produces an amazing 600 Shaft horse power. The engines “free” turbine drives the main and tail rotor drive shafts through free wheel clutches. This means that in the unlikely event of an engine failure, the rotor will turn freely under inertia and air flow, independent of the engine. This state is known as an autorotation.

The main rotor turns at around 390rpm which is driven by the Main rotor gear box. The tail rotor is driven by four shafts and a 90 degree gear box, which drives a two bladed tail rotor.

Main and Tail Rotors

The main rotor head is manufactured out of compressed layered fibreglass and is known as a “Starflex”. This design can be seen across many of the Eurocopter range of helicopters. Elastomeric bearings provide the mounting points for the three main rotor blades. The combination of the Starflex and elastomeric bearings gives the Squirrel one of the smoothest helicopter rides available.

The tail rotor blade assembly is made up of two composite blades bonded to a composite hub. The tail rotor provides anti torque stability and direction control for hover operations.

Specifications

Airframe
Overall Length (blades turning) 12.94 meters
Cabin and tail length 10.93 meters
Height 3.14 meters

Main rotor
Diameter 10.69 meters
Rpm 390

Tail rotor
Diameter 1.96 meters

Engine
Manufacturer Turbomeca
Model Arriel 1B
Power 600 SHP