Victorian MAS Contract: 2 new helis
 

Word is that the winner of the Victorian Metropolitan Ambulance Service Contract may have been announced today but I have not been able to find anything in the media that confirms who the winner is.
My information is that at the very least, one of the final bidders was told that they are no longer being considered. Does anybody know who might have actually won the contract or if the official announcement was even made?

Cheer
SS

SS,

Haven't heard anything, but you're obviously closer than I am. Who were the final contenders ? At a guess, CHC, Australian Helicopters and Jayrow??

Cheers,
SFB

Sorry SFB. I'm not that close at all, thats why I had to come in here to see if any other pruners had some news. I didn't mean to sound mysterious in my original post. It's just that SOME (certainly not all) oz pruners seem to take a huge delight in piling s**t on other pruners or the various oz operators whenever there is a bit of bad news, and I didn't want to start a slanging match.
The company that I know to have missed out have actually made an announcement in their company newsletter so it's not a secret. I will say that it is one of those you mentioned though. As for the short list of tenderers - there aren't that many operators in Australia who are in that market and big enough to take on the contract. I'd think your list would just about sum it up.

Cheers
ss

Possibly CHC
 

CHC have just put an advert on flightglobal for 412 captains in Victoria ? Coincidence or not ?

CHC will win the MAS contract. MAS are already in discussions with CHC about the transition from 412s to the 139s and the short term lower cost of not having to go straight to the 139. The economies of scale with the NSW contract make it hard for others to compete and it is believed that the other bidders were tendering leased aircraft which includes the lessor's profit component.

2 new helis for Victorian ambulance service
 

The Age, Melbourne.

"MAS has advised that Victoria would benefit from the establishment of a dedicated adult, neonatal and paediatric retrieval helicopter in Essendon and emergency air ambulance helicopter located in Warrnambool," he said

What is the difference in the two types of heli service mentioned above?


Is this the limit or does Victoria still need more medevac helis if response times are to match European standards??

Mickjoebill

The difference is that the new unit out West will be like HEMS 1, 2 and 3 and do emergency medical ops. HEMS 1 (AS365N3) is based in YMEN and crewed by VPAW, HEMS 2 (CHC B412) in Latrobe Valley and HEMS 3 (CHC B412) at Bendigo. The additional 412 (CHC) at EN will be for interhospital and neonatal retrievals and housed at the combined Police / MAS new YMEN complex.

Will the new HEMS machine out West be put out to tender??? Maybe not as it will probably go to CHC as MAS very, very pro CHC and B412s!!;)

Not sure what your argument is? Is it neg CHC or Neg another provider, or Neg...in general? Maybe it will have a positive in there somewhere? Like, why try an match European standards? why not exceed them...or ultimately just provide the best service that is available...

No negatives...just facts!

Another EMS operation that is government funded (hence secure) is always a positive :ok:

Congratulations Air Ambulance Victoria
 

Congratulations to Air Ambulance Victoria on yesterdays announcement by the State Government of Victoria, of 2 new EMS Helicopters for the people of Victoria.

Best wishes for the timely and successful introduction of these aircraft.

Rob. R.

Err no it was a straight question.

Is this the limit for Victoria or should/could there be more helis so (by way of comparison) as to match response times to more densily populated areas of the world.

Your last line you seem to be saying that response times should be better than Europe? If this is the case how many more helis are needed in Victoria?


It is indeed good news albeit a long time in comming.


Mickjoebill

MMmmmm ...

Are these 412s the ones being released due to the introduction of AW139s in NSW?

Might they be also replaced themselves (in the future) by AW139s?

:ooh:

It would be a good bet that the 412's from NSW will filter down to Vic. Makes sense, where else is CHC going to get a 412 in hurry. As to crews to man them...that may be harder to produce...although the attraction of living in a capital city may attract some within the company.

Anyhow I think you will find that the wheels will grind slower than expected being Vic Government based contract. The beaurocrats in Vic don't do anything in a hurry...yawn!!!......well if you go by the Vic Pol contract as, I believe, that still has not been signed off yet and is surely one of the longest running contract negotiations in history (I do believe the tender started 5 years ago:( :{.)

WestVic Helicopter
 

G'day all. You may remember this issue has been bubbling for several years, with LifeFlight and Chibs both putting their toe in the water.

WestVic Board have what they have been chasing for a decade.
WestVic don't have to fundraise with this fully government funded option.

SAR EMS and Firefighting.

A win all round I'd say.

Certainly a good result, after years of rebuttals from those in power in Spring Street :D

However: when will tenders be called, or is it already fixed for a supplier to get these lucrative contracts without competitive process?

Mmmmmmm ....

My understanding is that this was FIXED a loooong time ago!

I believe certain interested parties were told in no uncertain fashion what WAS going to happen!


:E

Anyone know when the B412's in NSW will be replaced by the AW139 and EC145's, so they can move the B412's to Vic?

the first AW139 is in Adelaide getting a refit ffor EMS work.
Once that has been completed id say t would be soon after that

Who is going to operate the new 412 from Essendon? (It won't be CHC!!!)
Vic EMS will have 2 operators now ,CHC for Vicpol Essendon and MAS Bendigo and Latrobe and someone else for MAS Essendon! and will Warrnambool go out to tender or will CHC or the other operator be able to find a 412 for it??

Mmmmmm ....

Well thats interesting .... 'cos I was told CHC were recruiting for the Essendon job .... though nobody from Adelaide seems to be responding to the "online applications" that were called for ??? ... I also have been told its due to "kick off" late September or early October.

Curiouser and curiouser .....


So whats happening....

:E

oops
 

Oh dear....:E

A new contractor for MAS Vic
 

Word around the campfire is that Australian Helicopters have been advised that they are the preferred Tender for two MAS contracts in Vic. Two brand new Bell 412 EP will be purchased off the line and configured for respective aircraft roles and MAS config specs.

First Aircraft to go on line first quarter 09 at Essendon. Crew will be two pilots only to conduct IHT/NEONATAL TFR work. No winch requirement just straight EMS retrievals.

Second Bell 412 will be SPIFR and based out of Warrnambool. Operation to commence Jun 09 with A new facility at Warrnambool Airport to be raised also.

Congrats to all concerned.
:)

Mmmmmmm ...

Well won't some people in Adelaide be pissed?

:E

Are you an American, Spinwing?

Or did you mean 'pissed off?'

I wouldn't think the lads are getting drunk at this point..

:{

big spenders "NOT"
 

If Australian Helicopters are the preferred tender then I hope they have budgeted in competitive wages, because there starting wages for SPIFR is the worst in the country at present except for some charitable operators.

For there sake I hope they can get there act together and be a serious operator to match CHC and Bristow's.

Mis-management at its finest
 

A contract that should have been in the bag goes wanting. Stalled pilot EBA negotiations and growing unrest in the ranks.:\

Is anyone in Adelaide taking notice? Maybe this is a new management technique of downsizing through incompetence.

Whisper is that CHC were told thanks but no thanks when they could not commit a firm date for delivery of 412EP for VIC. The biggest operator in the world can't commit firmly for one aircraft. Are the leaders of the Humming bird Oz serious!!:ugh:

Their competitors will be only too happpy to find those elusive airframes for their new clients I bet.

At least the drivers and engineers can rest assured of steady future employment, no matter how much work your management loses. Just may mean a change of company.:ok:

Vic Ambulance
 

Sourced from within Australian Helicopters. CHC "declined". I'm not sure why. Perhaps it is as Lifta says but perhaps there are other reasons. CHC usually do a pretty good job and don't willingly hand business to competitors so it would be interesting to hear from a CHC insider.
I wouldn't be too quick to assume that they couldn't get machines. In post # 17 "CheckYourSix" says that Australian have 2 new machines coming right off the production line. If Australian can get'em then it's a sure bet that CHC could of too.
In any event congratulations to Australian Helicopters. Now when are the jobs being advertised?

Why are they buying 412EP's when they could get better aircraft that weren't designed in the 60's?:confused:

Slow, thirsty, noisy, old technology, not that cheap. No wonder Bell haven't moved on as people still keep buying them.

Wonders never cease.

On the driver side, be interesting who they get to fill the seats.

Can't get airframes for Victoria, can't get pilots for CQ rescue? What exactly can they do except bank the monthly standing charges.

Mmmmmmm..

So who is doing the the NETS transports while all this is being acted out???


:eek:

I believe a little white gold and green BK is... ;)

Is that Mr E's BK??

Mr E no longer owns it, but yes that one.

'Why are they buying 412EP's when they could get better aircraft that weren't designed in the 60's?:confused:

Slow, thirsty, noisy, old technology, not that cheap. No wonder Bell haven't moved on as people still keep buying them.

Wonders never cease'



Rugged, good sized cabin and not that expensive (compared to an AW139).:ok:

Mike

Enjoy the long times sitting at the hospital waiting for the crews to get the babies stabilised.

Take a good book or, work out your plan to get back based on the crappy weather that suddenly appears.

Have fun

"Mike

Enjoy the long times sitting at the hospital waiting for the crews to get the babies stabilised.

Take a good book or, work out your plan to get back based on the crappy weather that suddenly appears.

Have fun"

Yep... I pretty much read every medical poster they had while waiting today... want to know about snake bites or how to remove a fish hook? then I'm your man... ;)

The job not money
 

They wont match CHC or Bristows because they probably cant afford to but they are the largest fully Australian owned helicopter company at the moment and gaining more and more contracts can only be a good thing for the company and their pilots. Anyway I think the Vicpol guys get worse pay but money isnt everything. The job at vicpol must be great because they dont advertise that often and they never have a shortage of applicants when they do advertise. Probably a combination of job, roster, acft type, pay etc. Standby for tomorrows Australian to see who is teh preferred tenderer anyway. They'll have to advertise soon to secure some more pilots. Apparently there is a shortage.:O

BM,

I hope you're enjoying flying the BK: but never, ever, go on a trip without a book to read while you're waiting ;)

Re the comments about the change of contract to AH: hasn't CHC just recruited for the Essendon job? I'm confused :confused:

Warrnambool and Essendon
 

:DThere was a report today in W/bool paper that Australian Helicopters have signed a contract for both Essendon and Warrnambool; new 412EP's. Essendon to start first but Warrnambool mid 09.:D

Official announcement due 8th August I understand.