South Australia’s emergency services have welcomed two new aircraft, bringing faster medical retrievals, expanded search and rescue capabilities and a major boost to emergency response across the state.
The first two aircraft are now officially in service as part of a $870 million, 15-year aviation agreement between the State Government and Toll Aviation, marking the beginning of a major overhaul of South Australia’s emergency aviation fleet.
The new Pilatus PC-12 NG fixed-wing aircraft will serve different but equally important roles, with one dedicated to SA Ambulance Service’s MedSTAR Quick Response team and the other supporting South Australia Police with search and rescue and law enforcement operations.
For South Australians experiencing medical emergencies, particularly in regional and remote areas, the new MedSTAR aircraft could make a significant difference.
The aircraft is designed to get specialist medical retrieval teams airborne in just 20 minutes, reducing the preparation time by more than half compared with previous arrangements.
It also has the capacity to airlift more than 600 patients annually, helping medical teams reach people in urgent need of specialist care.
SAAS MedSTAR Divisional Clinical Director Dr Andrew Pearce said the additional aircraft would strengthen the state’s ability to respond to emergencies.
“Getting to patients sooner and reducing delays in accessing time-critical medical care can help reduce morbidity and mortality and, ultimately, save lives.”
The service will operate alongside the existing inter-hospital transfer arrangements, which transport more than 8,000 patients between South Australian hospitals each year.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT will continue playing an important role, working as a subcontractor to Toll Aviation in delivering aerial emergency and medical response services.
Meanwhile, SAPOL’s new aircraft will support searches for missing people, emergency rescues and broader police operations, including assistance with high-speed pursuits and transporting officers to locations across the state.
The introduction of the fixed-wing aircraft is only the first stage of the fleet upgrade.
From October 2027, the next phase will introduce five new helicopters, including three Leonardo AW139 helicopters for SA Ambulance Service and two Bell 429 helicopters for SAPOL.
Of the three ambulance helicopters, two will be operational aircraft, while the third will provide maintenance coverage. They will support special operations paramedics and MedSTAR’s specialist medical retrieval work.
The agreement has also supported the creation of more than 80 jobs, with the aircraft services intended to operate around the clock.
Acting Chief Inspector Bret Girardi, Officer in Charge of SAPOL Aircraft Services, said the upgrade would help police maintain an effective statewide response.
“The next-generation aircraft through SPARAS ensures SAPOL’s aerial capability, so we can continue to provide a rapid, coordinated and effective response to incidents across South Australia.”
With the first aircraft now operational and new helicopters scheduled to follow next year, the investment represents a substantial expansion of South Australia’s emergency aviation capabilities, particularly for communities where distance can be a critical factor in receiving urgent assistance.
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