BC medevac contract

[dockjock]

I hear this thing is up for renewal. I''m from Toronto so am totally out of the loop as far as BC goes. Westex, NTair, who else is bidding? Who''s gonna get it?

 

[twotter]

Just talked to one of the guys at WestEx and everyone is still waiting for the decision..

I''d bet on them..

 

[Rosco]

Twotter,

It''s been a while!!! Where you been & whatcha been doing?

Drop me a line.

Cheers

R

 

[iflynkd]

heard that Skyservice was bidding on the jet portion of the contract. Not sure how much truth though.

 

[Floating Twotter]

From what I hear:

NT Air is out...Canada Jet is out....Carson Air is out...

So that leaves, so the rumors go, Westex and Voyageur out of T.Bay.

Anybody''s guess as to who wins, but lots of talk the whole province will go turbo prop. Now there''s a step backwards!! Time to NOT live in Ft. Nelson.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

What about Helijet? I heard they ere bidding also.

 

[TFE731]

I have it on GOOD authority that Westex has the whole contract for BC. 2x new Citation Bravo (?) and 2xKingAir 200.

Funny how the rest of the country is going to multiple operators for air ambulance contracts, just for protection in case an O.C. gets pulled, or whatever. Yet BC is willing to go the "all the eggs in one basket" route.

Gotta love those Liberals !!

 

[twotter]

Well, I sat down with some people in the know the other day and the contract has not been announced yet.. However, Canada Jet laid off all their non management pilots.. I guess that means they are out for sure...

My money and hopes are with WestEx... They deserve a break for a change..

 

[TFE731]

Twotter,

True, the winner has not been announced, but everyone feels that WestEx has it in the bag. As for Canada Jet laying off all the non-management pilots, not true. I know three guys working there, and everyone still has jobs. The company still has to fulfill the contract until mid-October when the new guys take over. The complexion of the company will change when the contract expires for them. Can''t go from six aircraft to two (?) and keep everyone employed.

As for "WestEx deserves a break..." really??? This business is the most cutthroat on the planet. I can''t remember any company, short of Air Canada, getting a break. Usually it takes hard work, dedicated employees and smart management to "make a break". Well, two out of three ain''t bad!

Cheers,
731

 

[Thumper2]

Hmmm?? I always thought Voy was out of North Bay/ Did they move?

As for the eggs all in the same basket, the conservatives in Ontario do the same thing with their Heli stuff now, and they just about found out, rumor has it.

 

[old tin lizzy]

Well apparantely the wonderful government of BC does not care about past service to the airevac contract. I know one company that has the most on time record, is called upon the most by dispatch and has a plane that is hardly ever down, but does the government care about this? No. As to the comment about all the eggs in one basket, 5 years ago, they (the government) thought about it and realized then that it would not be a good idea. why would it be now? Rumour also has it that the CYXS and CYLW bases are going to be pulled. That really sounds like a smart financial decision??????????????????. Lets send a Vancouver based pane into Fort St. John and then back to Vancouver. That has got to be cheaper than a CYXS based plane. Idiots. Or send a Vancouver Based plane into Castlegar and Back. That has to be cheaper than a CYLW based one. Anyways, this is BC government so I am not surprised. Anyways, best of luck to the Company that gets the contract.

Lizzy

 

[turbo-prop]

Why does it matter where the plane is coming from, if it goes from Vancouver to Prince George to Vancouver, its the same as Prince George to Vancouver to Prince George. Same mileage.

 

[Commodore64]

it would matter to the patient who''s from the north.

assuming you have a patient in prince george that needs to get to a vancouver hospital; you tell me how much it matters then where the plane is based.

 

[TFE731]

AND THE WINNER IS......

Late breaking news. Westex has the whole province. King Air in CYXS, King Air in CYLW, 2 King Airs in CYVR and 2 Citation Bravo''s in CYVR as well. I also hear that VIH will remove the 222''s from Rupert and the Island. The good news is that PG and Kelowna get to keep Medevac aircraft at their locations. Hard to figure the thought process behind awarding the entire contract to just one company. Seems like competition is dead in BC. So...does anybody have an "in" with Westex? With things the way they are at Air Canada and Jazz, by October there should be no shortage of qualified pilots for Westex to choose from.

OOPS...was that out loud??

 

[dockjock]

This will require significant hiring in the months leading up to October.
Competition is not dead, but a 5-yr contract with 2 option years sure makes it hard for anyone to unseat them.