CareFlight Group
CareFlight Group is an Australian aeromedical charity operating helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and jets with 138 doctors on call, providing emergency rescue, patient transport, and medical training across Australia, including the government-contracted Top End Medical Retrieval Service in the Northern Territory.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersDarwin, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CareFlight Group does
CareFlight Group is an Australian registered charitable organisation (ABN 18 210 132 023) founded in 1986 that delivers aeromedical services and training across the country. The organisation operates a multi-modal fleet of AW139 and H145 helicopters, turbo-prop aeroplanes, jets, and road vehicles, deploying doctors and nurses to reach patients in remote, regional, and emergency settings. Core services include Emergency and Rescue Services, Air Ambulance, International Medevac, Patient Transport, and the Top End Medical Retrieval Service in the Northern Territory; supporting products include the MediSim mobile trauma training program, Clinical Training, Workplace First Aid, and Agriculture Emergency Trauma Training. The platform is anchored by proprietary and specialised aeromedical technologies, including the I-CARE monitoring and tracking system, a stretcher bridge system, and night vision goggle operations, supported by partnerships with Infiniwell and AMSL Aero.
CareFlight operates from bases in Sydney (group headquarters), Darwin (Northern Territory operations hub with AW139 and H145 hangars), and Newcastle. In the most recent reporting period the organisation cared for more than 9,000 Australians, flew over 10,000 flight hours, completed 451 helicopter rescue missions, and treated and transported 4,371 patients through the Top End service.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model. Sources include individual donations and regular giving (Support Crew), corporate partnerships and sponsorships (flagship partners Viva Energy, Mounties Care with a $10 million commitment, and Nutrien Ag Solutions), fundraising events such as the annual Hangar Ball (raising over $230,000), government contracts including the Top End Medical Retrieval Service, merchandise sales (CareFlight Bears), and fee-for-service training programs. Customer segments span government health authorities, remote and regional communities, healthcare professionals, and agricultural and remote industry workers, with international medical evacuation available on a direct-enquiry basis.
CareFlight Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CareFlight Group
- Legal name
- CareFlight
- Website
- https://careflight.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CareFlight Group is an Australian aeromedical charity operating helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and jets with 138 doctors on call, providing emergency rescue, patient transport, and medical training across Australia, including the government-contracted Top End Medical Retrieval Service in the Northern Territory.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CareFlight Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aeromedical and Emergency Medical Services
- NAICS
- Ambulance Services (621910)
- SIC
- Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Emergency Health, Trauma Care & Public Health Response (BPAGAAAF), Medical Air Transport (Air Ambulance/Patient Transfer) (TLAFABAG)
Keywords
Where CareFlight Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Darwin
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
CareFlight Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream from individual donations, regular giving programs (Support Crew), rescue raffles, fundraising events such as the annual Hangar Ball raising over $230,000, and bequests through wills
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including major partners like Viva Energy (NT Rescue Helicopter), Mounties Care ($10 million commitment), and other business supporters through the Club CareFlight program
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of CareFlight Bears and branded merchandise through the online shop, with proceeds directly supporting operations
- Government Contracts: Government-funded medical retrieval services including the Top End Medical Retrieval Service in the Northern Territory
- Education and Training Services: Fee-for-service training programs including clinical training, workplace first aid courses, agriculture emergency trauma training, and MediSim community training
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
CareFlight Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CareFlight Group provides advanced aeromedical services and training across Australia, deploying doctors and nurses in helicopters, turbo-prop aeroplanes, jets, and road vehicles to reach and treat patients in emergency and remote situations. Core offerings encompass emergency and rescue services, air ambulance transport, international medevac, patient transport, and a training division delivering clinical, community, workplace first aid, and agriculture emergency trauma programs. The organization operates as a registered charity, funding its life-saving work through donations, corporate partnerships, government contracts, and training fees.
Product overview
CareFlight Group provides advanced aeromedical services and training across Australia through a multi-modal fleet of helicopters, turbo-prop aeroplanes, jets, and road vehicles. The core service portfolio centers on emergency medical response including Critical Care Helicopter services (AW139 and H145 aircraft), Air Ambulance transport, International Medevac, and the Top End Medical Retrieval Service in the Northern Territory. Supporting this core operations network is a comprehensive education and training division offering Clinical Training, MediSim community trauma training, Workplace First Aid, and Agriculture Emergency Trauma Training programs. The organization operates as a unified platform combining emergency rescue services, patient transport, and professional medical education to deliver lifesaving care across urban and remote Australian communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MediSim: Mobile trauma training program delivering emergency trauma education to communities across Australia.
Products and services
- Emergency and Rescue Services
- Air Ambulance Services
- International Medevac
- Patient Transport Services
- Top End Medical Retrieval Service
- Clinical Training
- MediSim Community Training
- Workplace First Aid Training
- Agriculture Emergency Trauma Training
- Remote Operations Clinical Support
- CareFlight Bears & Merchandise
Quantifiable outcome
- Caring for over 9,000 Australians a year
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use CareFlight Group
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CareFlight Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
CareFlight Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.
- BlackwoodsminorBlackwoods and Community Bank Coolalinga & District partnership to strengthen patient safety with CareFlight through community support initiatives.
- Helicopter ResourcescorePartnership in a bid to transform Tasmanian emergency helicopter services, combining expertise to enhance emergency response capabilities.
- Nurofen for ChildrenminorFunding partnership enabling Baby Emergency Course to launch nationwide, providing parent education in infant emergency response.
- Nutrien Ag SolutionscorePartnership to deliver Emergency Trauma Training to agricultural industry workers, providing life-saving skills to rural and remote agricultural communities.
- Viva Energy AustraliaflagshipViva Energy is the power partner behind the NT Rescue Helicopter service. Partnership extended to strengthen health outcomes in the Northern Territory. Includes sponsorship of indigenous artwork on rescue helicopters and support for First Nations traineeships and community health programs.
- University of TasmaniacoreMemorandum of Understanding signed for collaboration in health education, training, and research initiatives supporting Tasmanian emergency helicopter services.
- AMSL AerocorePartnership with electric aircraft pioneers AMSL Aero to explore next-generation electric aircraft technology for aeromedical services, supporting environmental sustainability goals.
- Rio TintocorePartnership to improve NT health services through support for medical retrieval operations and community health initiatives in regions where Rio Tinto operates.
- Northern Trade SolutionsminorNorthern Trade Solutions logo takes flight on CareFlight helicopter as part of local business supporter program.
- Tong Li SupermarketminorTong Li Supermarket logo added to iconic H145 helicopter as part of corporate sponsorship program supporting Top End operations.
- Katherine Country ClubminorKatherine Country Club takes flight on CareFlight's Darwin AW139 following 2025 Club CareFlight draw, supporting Top End rescue services.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CareFlight Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- International SOS: Global medical and travel security services firm providing medical assistance, evacuation and remote-site medical services to multinational corporations. Broader incumbent with overlapping international medevac and remote medical capabilities to CareFlight.
- Air Methods Corporation: Largest US air medical transport provider, operating helicopter and fixed-wing emergency medical services across 48 states. Established incumbent that competes in the same air ambulance category, particularly against CareFlight's international medevac line.
Direct peers
- PHI Air Medical: US-based helicopter emergency medical services operator serving hospital systems and emergency response across North America. Directly comparable in helicopter emergency medical service model, clinical staffing approach, and contract-based revenue mix.
- LifeFlight Australia: Australian aeromedical charity operating helicopters, air ambulance jets, and critical care doctor teams across Queensland, NSW and internationally. Direct competitor with virtually identical service portfolio (rescue, air ambulance, international medevac, training) and funding model.
- Royal Flying Doctor Service: Australia's largest aeromedical charity, providing emergency retrieval, primary health care and telehealth across rural and remote Australia. Closest direct peer, sharing the same nonprofit model, helicopter and fixed-wing operations, donor-funded revenue mix, and Indigenous community outreach.
- European Air Ambulance: European air ambulance operator providing fixed-wing patient repatriation and medical evacuation services across Europe and internationally. Directly comparable in fixed-wing medevac operations, critical care staffing, and international patient transfer logistics.
- FAI Air Ambulance: German-based air ambulance operator specializing in international patient repatriation and medical evacuation using fixed-wing aircraft. Comparable to CareFlight's air ambulance and international medevac capabilities in clinical staffing and cross-border repatriation service line.
- REVA Air Ambulance: International air ambulance company specializing in long-distance medical repatriation using fixed-wing aircraft worldwide. Comparable to CareFlight's International Medevac and fixed-wing air ambulance operations in clinical capability and cross-border patient logistics.
- The Air Ambulance Service: UK-based charity operating helicopter emergency medical services and fixed-wing patient transfer aircraft across England. Direct peer as a nonprofit air ambulance operator with a comparable fundraising-led model, mission focus, and reliance on community donations.
Regional players
- St John Ambulance Australia: Australian charitable humanitarian organization providing first aid training, event medical services and community health programs. Same nonprofit/charity structure and donor-funding base as CareFlight, but operates primarily on the ground rather than via aeromedical platforms.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CareFlight Group social profiles
Digital presenceCareFlight Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CareFlight Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
CareFlight Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CareFlight Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CareFlight Group
What does CareFlight Group do?
CareFlight Group provides advanced aeromedical services and training across Australia, deploying doctors and nurses in helicopters, turbo-prop aeroplanes, jets, and road vehicles to reach and treat patients in emergency and remote situations. Core offerings encompass emergency and rescue services, air ambulance transport, international medevac, patient transport, and a training division delivering clinical, community, workplace first aid, and agriculture emergency trauma programs. The organization operates as a registered charity, funding its life-saving work through donations, corporate partnerships, government contracts, and training fees.
Is CareFlight Group a public or private company?
CareFlight Group is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CareFlight Group founded?
CareFlight Group was founded in 1986. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CareFlight Group based?
CareFlight Group is headquartered in Darwin, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does CareFlight Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships, merchandise Sales, government Contracts and education and Training Services.
Who are CareFlight Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are International SOS and Air Methods Corporation. Direct peers are PHI Air Medical, LifeFlight Australia, Royal Flying Doctor Service, European Air Ambulance, FAI Air Ambulance, REVA Air Ambulance and The Air Ambulance Service. St John Ambulance Australia is listed as a regional player.
Does CareFlight Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for CareFlight Group.
What industry is CareFlight Group in?
CareFlight Group's product category is Aeromedical and Emergency Medical Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFANAD, Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing), with a secondary code of BPAGAAAF, Emergency Health, Trauma Care & Public Health Response. Its NAICS code is 621910 and its SIC code is 8090.