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From: "tony"
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.rotorcraft
Subject: Helicopters for civil engineering job
Date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 12:54:47 -0700

We were recently qouted for renting helicopters for a civil engineering
job. The price was high. We are therefore considering investing to run
the 2 helicopter operation ourselves.


If your loads are splitable down to 1000kg you would be much better off
with Sa315b lamas.
They are one of the finest workhorse helicopters around and though
relatively expensive to operate 'on paper' - due to all components being "on
time" rather than "on condition", in the conditions you describe at least
the lama's components will reach their O/H lives.
We operated them since '71 and what we particularly liked was when they were
miles away in the desert (Yemen, Ethiopia) you could plan when to have Time
X components on site. Rather than with some helicopters (no names :-)
waiting till they go U/S then going AOG for bits.
I don't have DOCs any more but phone Eurocopter - they were very helpful
with that sort of stuff.
For a spec see:
http://www.robertsaircraft.com/raco/sa315b.htm

Slatts