In our close monitoring of the helicopter production lines around the world, we have noticed that in the last two years Bell has produced 26 LongRanger IVs.  Of these, no less than 23 have been for one customer, 88% of the total.  That customer is Air Evac Lifeteam, the EMS provider operating predominantly in the south-eastern part of the US – and part of the Air Medical Resource Group.

If you look at the last six years, Bell have built 69 Bell 206L4 LongRanger 4 helicopters – serial numbers 52423 to 52491 – and 49 are for Air Evac Lifeteam, 71% of the total.

In many countries, all air ambulance helicopters are twin turbine.  It makes us wonder what would happen if the FAA insisted on that type of helicopter if, say, the operator wanted to fly at night.

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com