Beech King Airs equipped as ambulances. One is always on standby.
We are still in Broken Hill, stopping over on our cross country train ride aboard the Indian Pacific. That chilly Sunday morning the good people who run the Flying Doctor's Service were good enough to get out their warm houses and give a lecture and tour of this famous Australian institution. RFD's story is unique to Australia. Started by Rev. John Flynn of Queensland, in 1928, to bring emergency medical service to remote outback areas where there were only two doctors in over 2 million square miles. The operation we visited in Broken Hill dates back to 1938 and is entirely voluntary. It is free to patients with revenue coming entirely from donations. Today RFDs cover about 80% of Australia and treat about 160,000 people a year, conducting 17,000 evacuations from 16 bases.
The first RFD was organized in the Queensland town of Cloncurry, where there was a pioneer airline called the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service., Quantas. Yes, that is the origin of Quantas Airlines. Not even many Australians know that. Gee whiz!
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