(1) Forgive my naivety but isn't the cabin size a factor too when selecting a medical helicopter. Surely the cabin of a 407 will still be particularly tight with a large patient needing ventilation etc during flight plus medical crew and equipment? After all isn't that Bell's marketing point for the 429? I could see a 407 being slightly easier to justify for short transits but I see that there are cases of patients being flown past the closest hospital.
State Investigates Medical Helicopter Company | KRGV.com | Rio Grande Valley, TX
(2) Is in commercially advantageous to use two helicopters (after a road accident with multiple casualties say) rather than one larger helicopter?
(3) On the point that "take out any profit and commercial incentive", surely that isn't stopping commercial airlines achieve amazing levels of safety. Does this mean that the medical industry in the US are culturally accepting of a certain level of attrition and happy to continue to use providers with a poor safety record without penalty?
(4) Why so many night accidents?
More US Night HEMS Accidents Is it a sign of the number of night flights or their relative risk?