Charles,
since about July of 2006 crap has been flying from those on both sides of the fence. Since December 2006 when the tender was announced CHC have copped a fair flogging. Once the contract started generaly speaking the majority of the crap has actually been from those who sit in the back of the machine, and not those who lost the contract, the first positive posting from an ambo was today when the love boat captain spoke out in defence of CHC, what a pleasant surprise!
It does appear that R26 has had an incident, the first for CHC in NSW, but let us not forget that BOTH the previous contractors have had their own incidents in the past, with a Doc being dropped off a hoist and a SA365C having a "hard landing" at the NP&WS depot at Blackheath (or there abouts) I guess that as there was no internet back then the issues were not disected by armchair experts and put under the microscope, as they are now.
It is a natural reaction to become defensive when sh1t happens, and I would suggest that those from within CHC are feeling the pressure, and it is made worse when outside sources (not just pruners) stir the pot (read politicians).
If you have problems with who was awarded the contract, I would suggest the people you need to criticise are those in Government not those who gained it.
Now I do not look at life through rose coloured glasses and realise that what I have posted will end up being a futile effort at two fingered typing, as some will continue to carry on in the same manner as all the previous CHC bashing posts, get over it all folks, life goes on and the contract will not change back unless the previous contractors win it back in X years time.
SLB