I asked if we were going to be getting any for offshore, as an alternate to the 135. I was told a resounding no, due to the fact that after our required equipment was installed (floats, etc), average pilot (real company average as opposed to a new fresh from the military or from being a cfi) and fuel to reach the places it would need to go, that there would be roughly 200-250 pounds of payload left.
That may have been an exaggeration, but it was made clear that we aren't buying any and I was disappointed.
The first time I saw it I was told by the Bell rep that I should think of it as a twin engine 407, speed and payload wise. I wish it was, I liked sitting in it, but its gotta perform!