Graphic: RFDS Pilot Chris Thompson
April 26 marks World Pilots’ Day – a day where we celebrate and recognise the many contributions of pilots who safely connect millions of passengers around the world every year.
At RFDS Central Operations, each year our pilots fly more than six million kilometres collectively, equivalent to 154 laps of the Earth’s circumference, or travelling to the moon and back almost eight times.
In doing so, RFDS pilots assist our medical crews to safely airlift more than 9,000 patients across South Australia and the Northern Territory each year.
From all of us at RFDS Central Operations we wish our team of 40 pilots a wonderful day, and thank them for their dedication, professionalism and compassion in supporting healthier and happier South Australians and Territorians.
“I’ll never forget one of my first flights with the Senior Base Pilot to retrieve a young girl I’ll never forget the look on her grandmother’s face when we stepped out of the aircraft – just sheer relief that the Flying Doctor had arrived, that they were in safe hands. It’s very humbling to be part of that.”
– Heather Ford, RFDS Pilot
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