Chinese medical evacuation provider Beijing Red Cross Emergency Medical Center (Beijing 999) has acquired a Gulfstream G550 to support its disaster relief and medevac efforts.

The large-cabin twinjet will be outfitted at the US airframer’s maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Appleton, Wisconsin. Features will include in-flight surgical operation capabilities, emergency resuscitation-enabled hospital beds, X-ray equipment, refrigerated medical storage cabinets and a medical bay, Gulfstream says.

A delivery date to Beijing 999 has yet to be determined, the airframer says. It notes that there are already 25 G550s and smaller and shorter-range G450s in medical evacuation service worldwide. Some of these are also used for special-mission and support operations, such as military personnel transport, atmospheric research and surveillance duties.

Gulfstream G550

Gulfstream

“We are committed to working with customers to deliver an aircraft that exceeds their requirements, and this uniquely tailored G550 is no exception,” says Scott Neal, Gulfstream’s senior vice-president for worldwide sales. “The aircraft’s customisable cabin will serve as an example for future programmes.”

The G550 will be the second fixed-wing aircraft in Beijing 999’s line-up, following the November 2015 delivery of a large-cabin Dassault Falcon 2000LX. The company also operates two Airbus Helicopters H135s.

Source: Flight International