Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service Delivers First External B360 Type Rating Course in September 2026

Queensland, USA – Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) has begun delivering Beechcraft King Air B360 type rating training to an external customer at its Aeromedical Training Academy in Bundaberg, with two QGAir pilots commencing training in September 2026. RFDS said this is the first time an external client has used its own certified type-rated flight instructors for a complete B360 type rating course on the Academy’s Level D full-flight simulator.

• The Bundaberg Academy houses a TRU Simulation-manufactured Beechcraft King Air 260/350/360/360Q Pro Line Fusion full-flight simulator. RFDS states that the device is CASA-certified to Level D and is the only simulator of its configuration in Australia.
• RFDS offers external customers wet or dry simulator hire as well as B360 recurrent and type rating training.
• The Academy opened in October 2024 and was designed with commercial external training capacity in addition to RFDS requirements. The simulator could support up to 7,000 training hours annually, with approximately 1,500 hours expected to be used by RFDS.
• During its first year following CASA certification in October 2024, 46 RFDS pilots completed 377 training sessions using the simulator and Academy training rooms.
• The external training activity broadens utilisation of the Bundaberg facility beyond RFDS recurrent requirements and provides Australian King Air operators with domestic access to B360 qualification training on a Level D device.

Source: Royal Flying Doctor Service