There’s a new Lifeflight rescue chopper on the Sunshine Coast.
Lifeflight said it heralds a new era for the Sunshine Coast-based aeromedical service and is one of seven AW139s joining the organisation across the state.
It boasts one of the largest fleets of rescue helicopters in Australia.
The aircraft was manufactured by Italy-based Leonardo and assembled by the engineering team at the LifeFlight Clive Berghofer Maintenance Centre at Archerfield Airport.
Its arrival follows LifeFlight announcing a $250 million partnership with Leonardo, including new aircraft, and significant investment into state-of-the-art training and engineering facilities in Queensland.
Construction is also underway on a new $18.5 million Sunshine Coast base, which will accommodate two AW139 helicopters and one Challenger 604 jet and is close to three times the size of the current hangar.
The Sunshine Coast aeromedical crew helped 569 people in 2024, including paragliders, skydivers, water skiers and boaties.
LifeFlight Chief Executive Officer Ashley van de Velde said the AW139 is ideal for these emergencies as it can travel further and faster, responding swiftly when we are tasked.”
“Demand on the Sunshine Coast base continues to increase year on year which is why we’re investing in the best aeromedical helicopters to serve the region where LifeFlight first took to the skies back in 1979,” he said.
LifeFlight Head of Flying Operations Jeremy Ovens, said the new chopper provided a boost to the Sunshine Coast region amid record numbers of people helped in region.
“Because of its location, the Sunshine Coast crew is called out to a wide variety of missions over land and sea,” Mr Ovens said.
“In 2024 we helped 101 people involved in motor vehicle crashes, 72 people with cardiac problems, 10 people injured by animals, and five people found following search and rescues.
“Our teams launched the AW139 simulator at LifeFlight and trained pilots to use the aircraft, so we know how capable it is particularly with winch rescues or search and rescue operations,” he said.
The AW139 is the most advanced aeromedical rescue helicopter in the world, with a maximum cruise speed of 305 kph and a range of 895km.
