The Victorian and NSW Air Ambulance services have confirmed the upgrades at Deniliquin Airport will continue to meet landing requirements of their patient transport services.
Edward River Council held a meeting with NSW Ambulance Service yesterday to address misinformation around the Airport's capability.
Those present at the meeting included Liesa Huggins (Zone Manager) – NSW Ambulance Service, David Lilly (Duty Aeromedical Manager) – NSW Ambulance Service, Il-Kwon Jeong (Associate Director Fixed Wing & Aeromedical Control Centre) – NSW Ambulance Service, Phil Major (Patient Flow Manager) - Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Craig McColm, Cluster Manager for Murrumbidgee Local Health District, Edward River Council Mayor Cr Peta Betts, Deputy Mayor Cr Paul Fellows, and CEO Phil Stone.
The meeting clarified that all Aeromedical Fixed Wing aircraft can land at Deniliquin Airport.
NSW Ambulance uses a mixed fleet of King Air B350 and B200 fixed-wing aircraft to deliver clinical care to critically ill or injured patients, or patients requiring medical transport. Its Aeromedical Control Centre manages the strategic deployment of the Air Ambulance fixed-wing fleet and the Rescue Helicopter fleet. The B350 aircraft in use since mid-2012 can land on the main runway. In situations where the B350 cannot land, for example on the Airport's shorter secondary runway, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and VICAIR Ambulance B200s are used.
Mayor of Edward River Council Cr Peta Betts said it was good to get some clarity around the issue.
"While Council consulted with all the airport users before deciding on the scope of the runway upgrade, it was great to have this discussion and get the information out into the open - to reassure residents that the Airport will continue to be play its important role in local patient care."
The meeting discussed that environmental and weather conditions are taken into account when Air Ambulance is considering which aircraft to deploy for patient transfers. Like all aircraft, environmental/weather conditions, for example, visibility, cloud base and wind speed can affect the fleet's capability and appropriateness to land at a set destination.
Air operations are governed by CASA. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority's Part 121 (Australian Air Transport Operations – Larger Aeroplanes) Manual of Standards 2020 provides safety guidance to all operators, including take-off performance and landing performance. This was updated in December 2021, with changes to runway safety margins. Every mission is aviation risk assessed to determine ability to undertake at the time.
The B350 is part of a wide-ranging network of NSW Ambulance service capability, along with helicopters, road ambulances, and other partner organisations (with B200 aircraft) that work collaboratively to provide a timely and seamless network in patient care, retrieval, and transfer.
NSW Ambulance will use every available capability and their partners to ensure delivery of timely, safe patient care and transfer, to any location in NSW.
Cr Paul Fellows said the meeting passed on some detailed and valuable information.
"I think the key takeaway for me from the meeting was hearing directly from the authority - if there's an emergency, we'll get you out."
Like NSW Ambulance, VIC Ambulance uses B-200 aircraft in its visits to Deniliquin Airport.
Ambulance Victoria operates a mixed fleet of five Augusta Westland AW-139 twin engine helicopters and four King Air B-200 fixed wing aircraft to provide a vital link between rural communities and metropolitan health services.
Its four King Air B-200 fixed-wing aircraft are used in emergencies and for routine patient transport. The service includes transporting people from regional and rural regions for regular treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer patients, and transporting patients from metropolitan hospitals to regional hospitals. It also flies patients with acute medical conditions requiring surgery, transfers injured patients from regional hospitals and retrieves critically ill patients from regional hospitals to specialist care, such as cardiac care and intensive care.
The air ambulances are pressurised and regularly transport multiple patients to maximise efficiency. The service reaches across Victoria and into parts of southern New South Wales, including the Edward River region.
Cr Betts said the Airport upgrade works will make for a better experience for all current users, including VIC and NSW Air Ambulance services.
"We are installing a new ground lighting system to increase safety during take-off and landings at night and in low visibility, as well as strengthening and resealing the existing 1,219m runway.
"We are very proud of the work being done on the Airport upgrade, and this meeting has publicly confirmed that our important health services like Air Ambulance NSW and Ambulance Victoria as well as the Royal Flying Doctor Service can continue to confidently use the Deniliquin Airport – now and into the future."
Plans and project updates can be viewed on Council's website at: https://www.edwardriver.nsw.gov.au/Council/Works-Projects/Deniliquin-Airport-Runway-Project
