# Child Flight

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**Child Flight** was an Australian [helicopter](/source/Helicopter) service dedicated to the [emergency](/source/Emergency_vehicle) transport of sick children. It operated two twin-engined instrument-flight rated helicopters. As a [not-for-profit organisation](/source/Not-for-profit), the service relied on community support and corporate [sponsorship](/source/Sponsor_(commercial)) to complement a government operating [grant](/source/Grant_(money)).

The service was located at the Newborn and paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS) statewide base at [Westmead](/source/Westmead,_New_South_Wales) in [Sydney](/source/Sydney). It was the preferred helicopter transport vehicle for NETS, the emergency medical transport service for [newborns](/source/Newborn_transport), infants and children. The service employed ten pilots, an aircraft maintenance engineer and fundraising and office staff.[1]

## History

Founded by [Bart Bassett](/source/Bart_Bassett), Dr. Andrew Berry and Jeremy Ovens to supply air transport to NETS, the service started with a twin-engine [BO 105](/source/MBB_Bo_105) helicopter on 19 November 1989.[2][3] Within twelve months, a new [BK 117](/source/MBB/Kawasaki_BK_117) was delivered from the factory in [Germany](/source/Germany) as the flagship of the service.[4]

In 2000, a second helicopter was purchased to improve service continuity to NETS. It was a twin-engined [Eurocopter AS365 N2 Dauphin](/source/Eurocopter_AS365_Dauphin) with tricycle retractable landing gear and high-speed, long distance performance.[4] In June 2010, another aircraft was introduced into the fleet; a [Bell 412](/source/Bell_412)EP which provided more working space, carrying capacity and operating range than has previously been available from the BK 117.[4]

In late November, it was announced that Child Flight's contract would cease on 31 December 2012 after the [New South Wales Government](/source/Government_of_New_South_Wales) awarded the Newborn and paediatric Emergency Transport Service contract to [CareFlight](/source/CareFlight).[5] Child Flight had hoped to have the contract extended by six months, in order to sell the three aircraft without "fire sale" prices.[6]

In December, the [New South Wales Ministry of Health](/source/Ministry_of_Health_(New_South_Wales)) and Child Flight negotiated an agreement which will give Child Flight five months and A$400,000 to complete its transition, by ceasing its aviation arm but retaining a charity arm in support of medical retrieval.[7] Child Flight and CareFlight also negotiated an agreement for a two-month lease for one helicopter from Child Flight, to continue the services that was once provided by Child Flight from 1 January 2013.[7]

## References

1. ["About Us"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110808002131/http://www.telstrachildflight.org.au/Aboutus.html). Telstra Child Flight. Archived from [the original](http://www.telstrachildflight.org.au/Aboutus.html) on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011.

1. ["Londonderry"](http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2011/guide/lond.htm). *ABC News*. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 15 August 2011.

1. ["Dr Andrew Berry"](https://archive.today/20120910031830/http://www.netsuk.org/article/dr-andrew-berry-52.htm). NETS UK. Archived from [the original](http://www.netsuk.org/article/dr-andrew-berry-52.htm) on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2011.

1. Nash, Kree (26 November 2012). ["Child Flight grounded"](http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/1147032/child-flight-grounded/). *The Daily Advertiser*. Retrieved 31 December 2012.

1. Knaus, Christopher (29 November 2012). ["Child Flight loses its contract"](http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/child-flight-loses-its-contract-20121128-2aert.html). *The Canberra Times*. Retrieved 29 December 2012.

1. ["Petition for Child Flight gets lift-off"](http://www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/story/1155383/petition-for-child-flight-gets-lift-off/). *The Daily Advertiser*. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2012.

1. "Child Flight gets wings". *The Daily Advertiser*. 31 December 2012. p. 6.

## External links

- [Official Website](https://web.archive.org/web/20060613210625/http://www.childflight.org.au/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Child Flight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Flight) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Flight?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.