Babcock has been providing aircraft, experienced aircrews, and engineers to keep the service flying and saving lives since 2013.
Babcock has been providing critical aviation services for Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Services (CapRescue) since 2013. Operating from CapRescue’s facility in Rockhampton, Babcock operate, crew and maintain the aircraft to support the 24/7/365 emergency
services operation. Babcock and CapRescue partner as an integrated team assisting the doctors and paramedics to transfer & retrieve patients, rescue people, and respond to major trauma incidents and life-threatening medical emergencies.
More than 300,000 central Queensland residents rely on the service, and in 2024the crew completed 589+ missions, flying a total of 915+ hours. Mission types include search and rescue, primary care retrievals, inter-hospital patient transport and medical evacuation.
Babcock’s long-term partnership with CapRescue and experience with regional and remote rescue services has delivered considerable benefit to the local community. Our expertise, commitment to fundraising initiatives and focus on safe practices in some of the most challenging environments has helped save countless lives.
Our aircrew are highly trained, highly skilled, and highly professional with specialist skills to safely deliver critical services including winching, search and rescue, fast rope operations, and night vision capability.
Our support for CapRescue is a great example of the strong relationships we’ve built and Babcock’s commitment to our clients’ service delivery and success for the long-term. Our partnership has ensured that the service consistently achieves the highest availability rate in the state which is largely attributed to the teamwork and professional manner displayed by the crew when carrying out their duties.
Delivering advanced capability to QLD communities
Working closely together with CapRescue, Babcock introduced an AW139 helicopter to the CapRescue fleet, replacing one of the existing Bell 412s, for increased speed, range and operational capability, including improved range and speed, custom configuration of specialised on-board aeromedical equipment, and a bespoke aircraft cabin design and fitout suitable for aeromedical and SAR operations.
Babcock facilitated the aircraft design and installation of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) modification, procurement of ground support equipment and spares, integration of the aircraft into company systems and aircraft maintenance and modification.
All existing flight and engineering crew were also required to undergo new aircraft type training, while maintaining service delivery and roster coverage. Medical personnel also underwent dual type training.
Babcock and its staff have for the past eleven years operated alongside the CapRescue team to deliver a world class operation in the Central Queensland region.
At a glance:
- Designed and installed EMS configuration
- Training support for crew
- Night and day all weather operations and Night Vision Goggles (NVG), winching capability, critical patient care
- Road ambulance stretcher interoperability for reduced patient risk
- Local community fundraising support initiatives
Contract in Numbers:
- 1 x AW139
- 1 x Bell412
- 5 pilots
- 5 aircrew officers
- 2 rescue crew officers
- 3 engineers
- 915+ flying hours per annum
- 580+ missions per annum
