The first of six PC-24s for Svenskt Ambulansflyg, the Swedish air ambulance organisation, has taken off from Buochs airport for its maiden flight while sporting the blue and yellow national colours of Sweden.

Less than a year after the agreement between the Kommunalförbundet Svenskt Ambulansflyg (KSA) and Pilatus was signed, the first flight of the Swedish medevac PC-24 marks an important milestone in the programme. Despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pilatus still managed to meet the tight production schedule.

As an air ambulance organisation, KSA will provide advanced medical assistance and access to fast, professional aeromedical care, to everyone living in Sweden. The full KSA fleet will comprise six PC-24s, with all aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2021.

The maiden flight heralds the start of numerous flight tests to be performed by Pilatus. On completion of these the PC-24s for KSA will be transferred to Aerolite, the specialist Swiss company appointed to oversee the installation of the medevac interior.

The cabin of the PC-24 offers sufficient space for three patients plus medical personnel. Its large cargo door also facilitates quick loading and unloading of patients. These advantages, combined with STOL credentials, are said to make it the ideal aircraft for all air ambulance missions. After the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia and the US North Slope Borough Search and Rescue Department, KSA is the third organisation to deploy the PC-24 as a medevac aircraft.