The fact remains that operating a 24 hr capable EMS/Police/search and rescue helicopter, costs millions of dollars per year, not including the cost of purchase which is also millions of dollars.
That surely depends on the hours flown... what do you expect? 200 at the most? You can run an IFR twin for starting around $900/hour - that's $180,000 a year.
Find some volunteers to sit in the back and pay a few pilots and you run it for less than a million USD per year
Obviously the aircraft still needs to be funded initially (leasing, financing, investors?) - you're looking at anywhere from $2 mio for a BK117 (although more like $1,200 to operate) or a A109MKII for $2.5 mio.
Those numbers are still staggering for a few islanders, I know but it is not as expensive as said before - especially when you happen to fly a couple of tourists with good health insurance in between!
