Nextant Aerospace has delivered the first air ambulance-configured 400XTi into the Australian market, with the handover in early February of the light business jet to emergency medical services (EMS) charity CareFlight.
The all-metal twin joins the operator’s fleet of Beechcraft King Air B200 turboprops and AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters in providing EMS support throughout Australia’s Northern Territory. The deal was brokered by Nextant’s Australian subsidiary, Nextant Pacific, which has identified the air ambulance sector as “a key focus” for the company.
“The Nextant 400 series, [which includes the XTi and its XT predecessor] combines the door size, speed and range of a midsize jet with the operating costs of a comparable turboprop,” says John Oppenheim, managing director of the Darwin-headquartered company. “It is an ideal platform for aeromedical work,” he adds.
The 400XT/i is a remanufactured Hawker 400/Beechjet 400A featuring Williams FJ44-3AP engines, a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated flightdeck and a revamped interior. The first iteration of the six-seat light business jet entered service in 2011, and was replaced two years later by the enhanced XTi. To date, nearly 70 of the $5.3 million type have been delivered by Nextant, including nine in 2015.
Source: Flight International