Interesting Thread
Interesting thread. Let me tell you the way it is "over here" and perhaps you'll then understand the trend away from twins and toward singles in the U.S.
Away from the U.S., you have more government support for programs and also more regulation. The latter is evident from the fellow who stated that EMS programs were "banned" from using the guy who was trying to introduce the Single Squirrel. Such a thing would never happen in the U.S.
The subsidies and strict regulation you guys have limits the amount of jobs available. That's just a fact. The good side is, what jobs there are tend to be lucrative and "safe."
Now in the States, all you have to do to start an EMS service is have the dough. There are very few limitations on what type of helicopters and equipment can be used, and these are not rigidly enforced. Some might say, corruption plays a hand; but I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
Also there is no limit to competition. A favorite tactic is to move into an established market and undercut existing services.
Now there is a "HEMS" company in the U.S., I won't tell you the name but the initials are AEL...that uses the absolute minimally capable helicopter for EMS, namely the 206L1 & L3. They open up bases overnight in areas already well served by twins & IFR programs. They aggressively appeal to local EMS services, who make the decision at ground level which service is called, by what some might say is cheap bribery with free food. (Yes, things really get that venal and tawdry...) They can afford to run at an operating loss because of a membership "scheme" which they use to raise capital.
Now all these things taken together form their business "model," which is the lowest cost in the business. Other services flying IFR programs and operating twins have to scale down and reduce or eliminate all costs in order to compete.
In short, AEL is driving down the quality of HEMS service in the U.S. They can and will do this because that's the way business is "regulated"...or not regulated, if you prefer...over here.
The upside to the U.S. way of doing things is, there are a lots and lots of jobs over here. The downside is, they aren't so "safe," attractive, or lucrative. And, thanks to AEL, they are becoming less so all the time.
I hope this gives you some background. Lots of you would like to come and work in the States I suppose, but let me assure you that there isn't anywhere on earth to get away from problems in the aviation field. One set of problems just gets substituted for another.