Normal contract requirement (for Oz) is the Aircranes to be sea freighted, RoRo. There are usually six brought over for Australian use and the contract has just been renewed for 5 years with S64E models for commonality and availability, unlike the previous mix of S64E and S64F. Two are contracted to NSW RFS, two to Victoria DEPI and two to NAFC.
If the season brews up early the call has sometimes been made to airfreight the Aircranes, but with a $1 mil tab it isn't done too often.
The Sikorsky S64 Skycrane was developed as a military heavy lifter with a modular lifting concept: mobile hospital, tanks, bus, personnel modules were all created. When Sikorsky ceased model support it was bought by Erickson and had to be renamed, hence the S64 Aircrane. Erickson have also made new build units, notably the ones for the Italians with glass cockpits, etc. Just like we should have done 14 years ago......