Latest I have heard is that AFAC (Federal guys who issued the contract invites) still havent got off their backsides and made decisions. All the operators I have spoken to have said they have had no responses from their attempts to get info from AFAC. Some of the contenders are as follows. These are only a few, and there are many more.
Scorpion - Running Mi-26s and Mi-8s.
Heli Aust - Bell 205s and also proposing Mi-17s.
Superior Helicopter - Up to Four Kmaxs.
Heli Resources/Heli Harvest - B3 Astar and Mi-8s.
Heliquip - Bell 212 and BO-105
Columbia Helicopters - Chinooks/107s
McDermotts - 214s and 204s (maybe 212s)
Erickson - Aircranes
Plus whatever other operators are going for. I know their intentions are good but AFAC are not doing themselves any favours by not responding to operators enquiries. Was talking to Johnny Mac the other day and he said it is impossible to get any info out of them, and he is one of the contenders. Doesnt instil any confidence in them does it. Maybe they are taking a leaf out of CASA's book.
John Eacott might have had some feedback.
I know they are trying to move away from the Bell 206/Hughes 500 series for waterbombing and sticking to the mediums for this, with the lights being used for air attack and related tasks.
I applaude their idea and cut them some slack for their first attempt but they need to get their act together otherwise the industry will give up on them, basically like CASA.
Capt Lai Hai - Johnny for his belly tanks for the 214s certified recently and am going to have a look at them as soon as I get back from my trip to the US of A.