ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Just currently, you have got, there is a contract with CareFlight to
provide the helicopter, is that correct?
Ms CAHILL: That is correct.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: And contained within that contract is a set number of hours per month, I
think it is, that is included in that contract price, is that correct?
Ms CAHILL: About February of this year, we determined to have a set number of hours for the
provision of the service, because we deemed to be utilising it for other short-term retrievals as well, to
assist with the pressure that was on the existing aero-retrieval service. So, yes, there is a fixed
number of hours every month as a minimum requirement, but that arrangement, again, as a contract,
that is commercial-in-confidence.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Okay. Well, I do not have to ask about the cost of that portion of the
contract, but I will ask is, if the helicopter is utilised outside of that minimum contracted number of
hours, what is the hourly cost to use the helicopter?
Ms CAHILL: Again, that is part of the commercial contract.
Mr VATSKALIS: And also, you have to remember, we are currently, through the tender, process, we
assume this information can be provided as a commercial requirement for some people.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Understood. Can you tell me currently what the range of the BK117
helicopter is?
Ms CAHILL: Currently, the range that it can fly is Darwin/Katherine, before it requires refuelling. I
have just got those other couple of points.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Oh, yes please.
Ms CAHILL: So, currently there are two nurses in Katherine …
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Currently two.
Ms CAHILL: … and it will increase to 2.25 under the interim service. Yes, it is a BK117, is the
helicopter, which has night flying capacity and wench capacity as well.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: So the helicopter has a range that will bring it from Darwin to Katherine
before it needs to refuel?
Ms CAHILL: Before it needs to refuel, yes.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: So where does it refuel?
Ms CAHILL: When it …
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Where?
Ms CAHILL: Well, it lands at Tindal, and refuelling is done at Tindal Air Base.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: At Tindal, okay. When it refuels, is that before or after it picks up patients
ESTIMATES COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS – 17 JUNE 2010
from the Katherine Hospital?
Ms CAHILL: The refuelling would occur at the, once the plane, well, depending on whether it is
dropping off or picking up, so once the passenger is taken off, and prior to the passenger being
boarded.
Mr VATSKALIS: It has to comply with the aviation rules.
Ms CAHILL: So that is the regulations; you cannot refuel with a passenger on board, the patient on
board, so the patient would be en route and maybe at the airport when the helicopter lands, but if it is
requires refuelling it refuels before the patient is loaded.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Okay, so I just want to make sure I have got this right. The helicopter
would fly from Darwin to Tindal and refuel, and then fly from Tindal to the hospital if it needed to pick
someone up at the hospital.
Ms CAHILL: Patients are transported to Tindal, it is standard practice.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: So there are no circumstances where a patient is picked up by the
helicopter at the helipad at Katherine Hospital?
Ms CAHILL: I would have to confirm that, I am not aware of that information.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: I can help you. Yes, of course, there are times when the helicopter lands
at Katherine Hospital helipad and picks patients up. What I am trying to determine is: when that
occurs, whether the aircraft is refuelled before the patient is picked up from Katherine Hospital, or
after?
Ms CAHILL: I will get confirmation of that.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Thank you, and, Robyn, while you are getting confirmation on that can
you find out whether there are any issues with the helicopter taking off from the helipad at Katherine
Hospital fully laden, ie with a patient and fully loaded with fuel? Are you aware of any issues around
that?
Ms CAHILL: I am not aware. None of this has been raised with me, no.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: So, that will come back shortly?
Mr VATSKALIS: Yes.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: All right, thank you, I will not put it as a question on notice. How many
patients does the BK117 take?
Ms CAHILL: My understanding is one patient.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: You will probably have to take this on notice, but how long does it take to
refuel the helicopter?
Ms CAHILL: I am sure that will come back.
Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE: Come back, okay, thank you. So I am assuming then, if you can perhaps
confirm this: that once the interim contract with CareFlight for the overall provision of services in the
Top End comes in on 1 July that the BK117 will remain as the aircraft?
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