Simviation Forum - BK-117 Question

Oct 1^st, 2010 at 9:35pm

skoker Offline
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Jordan never wore his
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Mercy Flight owns a 1988 Kawasaki/Eurocopter Bk-117 and one of the guys said that a 60mi trip costs ~$8,000 USD. How can a simple flight such as this cost so much? Shocked

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Reply #1 - Oct 1^st, 2010 at 10:56pm

patchz Offline
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skoker wrote on Oct 1^st, 2010 at 9:35pm:

Mercy Flight owns a 1988 Kawasaki/Eurocopter Bk-117 and one of the guys said that a 60mi trip costs ~$8,000 USD. How can a simple flight such as this cost so much? Shocked

Have you checked fuel prices and helicopter pilot salaries lately? Roll Eyes

If God intended aircraft engines to have horizontally opposed engines, Pratt and Whitney would have made them that way.

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Reply #2 - Oct 2^nd, 2010 at 8:02am

Fozzer Offline
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patchz wrote on Oct 1^st, 2010 at 10:56pm:

skoker wrote on Oct 1^st, 2010 at 9:35pm:

Mercy Flight owns a 1988 Kawasaki/Eurocopter Bk-117 and one of the guys said that a 60mi trip costs ~$8,000 USD. How can a simple flight such as this cost so much? Shocked

Have you checked fuel prices and helicopter pilot salaries lately? Roll Eyes

I am always amazed at the prices charged for Helicopter flights!... Shocked

...!

One of my Family was recently "treated?" to a one hour trial flight in a little Robinson R22 Helicopter....(2-seater Coffin, with a fan on top)... Wink

...!

The cost for the one hour flight: £250 + VAT = £293.75!... Shocked

...

...!

The price for a one hour flight in a little Cessna 152/152 from the same Airfield :£115 + VAT = £135 including VAT...

...!

Moral: Go for the Cessna 150/152....trust me!... Wink

...

...!

Paul.... Cool

....!

(My latest one hour flight in the Club's Cessna 152 cost me £100 including VAT)... Kiss

...The price of AVGAS has gone up since... Sad

...!

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Reply #3 - Oct 2^nd, 2010 at 10:24am

beaky Offline
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Not to mention liability insurance... probably on a par with fixed costs of owning/operating/maintaining the aircraft.

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Reply #4 - Oct 2^nd, 2010 at 10:20pm

DaveSims Offline
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Clear Lake, Iowa

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Figure in pilot cost, fuel cost, acquistion cost for the aircraft, maintenance cost (most helos require several hours of maintenance per hour of flight), its easy to see where the cost is.

Dave

www.flymcw.com

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Reply #5 - Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 1:59am

patchz Offline
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I didn't think about it, but yeah, insurance is probably higher than on fixed wing. And I'm sure they pass the cost along.

If God intended aircraft engines to have horizontally opposed engines, Pratt and Whitney would have made them that way.

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Reply #6 - Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 9:25am

beaky Offline
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patchz wrote on Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 1:59am:

I didn't think about it, but yeah, insurance is probably higher than on fixed wing. And I'm sure they pass the cost along.

It's not just the aircraft classification, it's the type of operation. Statistically, medevac flights are about the most dangerous of all, possibly more so than even ag flying.

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Reply #7 - Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 11:57am

SeanTK Ex Member

Answer: All of the above. ^^

Especially insurance...that's going to be the main cost.

SeanTK....with medivac connections.

A 1988 BK-117? That's lame... an ambulance is faster! Cheesy

//Sorry, I hate BKs.....

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Reply #8 - Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 2:22pm

DaveSims Offline
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Clear Lake, Iowa

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Quote:

Answer: All of the above. ^^

Especially insurance...that's going to be the main cost.

SeanTK....with medivac connections.

A 1988 BK-117? That's lame... an ambulance is faster! Cheesy

//Sorry, I hate BKs.....

At leas they have lots of room in them. Our local hospital had a Longranger, and now a Twin Star. They are very tight to fit a patient in.

Dave

www.flymcw.com

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Reply #9 - Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 3:33pm

SeanTK Ex Member

That's true. I image the 206/407 series is pretty tough to work with in that environment.
Our local hospital uses Eurocopter AS365 Dauphins...so plenty of room and power here.

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Reply #10 - Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 6:28pm

DaveSims Offline
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Clear Lake, Iowa

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Quote:

That's true. I image the 206/407 series is pretty tough to work with in that environment.
Our local hospital uses Eurocopter AS365 Dauphins...so plenty of room and power here.

The 206L seemed to have more room than the AS350, but the med crew seems to like the AS better.

Dave

www.flymcw.com

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Reply #11 - Oct 3^rd, 2010 at 7:06pm

skoker Offline
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Jordan never wore his
safety goggles...
1G3

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Quote:

Answer: All of the above. ^^

Especially insurance...that's going to be the main cost.

SeanTK....with medivac connections.

A 1988 BK-117? That's lame... an ambulance is faster! Cheesy

//Sorry, I hate BKs.....

Hate the BK-117?!? Cheesy

Bah!

You've obviously never been inside of one before. Fly's like a tank and is as roomy as a limo.

Mercy flight also has 2 other BO-105's, and if their is something wrong with your legs, too bad. Their is a box that you cant even see a persons legs.... Grin

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