seniortrooper- as with any helicopter, it depends on kitting.
The EMS fit in U85, the machine that did the proof-of-concept in Qatar was capable of carrying two litter patients. We had the normal set-up of one litter on the APLS, and a 2nd litter that has approved restraints for the floor. Both of these litters have decent medical access when installed together. On one HEMS flight we carried 4 patients. Two were carried in seats as the paramedic could not leave them due to administering pain meds. Two were litter patients. The terrain was not conducive to ground transport and local rules did not allow a return flight to pick up patients due to darkness.
To answer your question- 2.
I view the Explorer as the ideal EMS machine. You can operate it the same in winter or summer- no downloading fuel when it get's hot out. Great OEI performance, great access room in the rear for medical folks. Very pilot friendly machine. If I had my choice, that is the machine I would be flying.
The only things holding the Explorer back are the McDonnel Douglas sale to Boeing, Boeing stopping production pending sale, RDM giving new life via MDHI and getting several out in the fleet as well as making some really nice improvements- RDM -MDHI going belly-up and support and production again stopping, Patriarch - MD making the machine cost prohibitive to purchase and then completing the company turn-around at 360 degrees instead of 180 degrees.
Fantastic machine but is constantly held back by the company that produces it. The fuel range is a drawback too, but when placed against the competition it is a wash. Other machines have to download fuel to carry the mission weight and the 902 always carries full tanks.
The guys bitching about the NOTAR vs the tail-rotor have to re-think their opinions also. The NOTAR on the Explorer doesn't like a right quartering tail-wind at high weights or DAs- show me a tail-rotor machine that does! Put the wind off the nose or quartering head-wind and it sits all day- just like a tail-rotor machine. I don't think you see many folks doing long-line or hoist work in a tail rotor ship with an un-favorable wind either.
On another note, if it was such a poor machine- why does/did EC spend so much time bad-mouthing it to customers and constantly spreading dis-infomation about the NOTAR system and the Explorer in particular. I do know this has happened around the world. I worked for MD and travelled the world performing training and demos. I got to hear all the things EUROCOPTER (marketing folks) told custoemrs about the Explorer and the NOTAR system. You only spread that kind of dis-information if you are worried. Again, if it is such a poor machine, why did they worry so much. Why did they design a "new" rotor system that is a carbon-copy of the MD900 main rotor? I could go on------