The awards are out for the type 2 eu contracts. I know they were downsizing but couldn't help but notice heliqwest is absent. Are they unlucky or just smart to get out of the medium game with the next gen mess slowly getting sorted?

I think they went with CO state contracts

They wrecked one of their 205's and sold most of the rest. Went to Uh60's

The award wasn't for EU (TORP) contracts. They are a modification of the current (ending) CWN contract. They were looking for lowest bidder for the open contracts. These are not the MATOC, and are for this season only. They were awarded (very quickly IMHO) to people that were willing to go along with th current "LPTA" standard.  

The option years on these contracts are definitely not going to get used. The next gen aircraft will start showing up next year and will take a big chunk out of the legacy ships. This has to be the last year of the 205's for sure. Of course I thought the same thing about the 61 when the 60's started showing up and I'm still seeing 61's on the line. Any type 2 operator that isn't ahead of the curve on this next gen stuff needs to start making moves. On the plus side if you've always wanted to own your own 205 you don't have long to wait until you can afford one. 

There are no option years. These are a one year deal based upon the current CWN contract.

I doub you will find a better all around macine than the 205. I like to think that at the end of the world, there will be cockroaches, coyotes, the Bell 205.

The next generation plan will be expensive.

I agree the 205 is a tough medium to beat. Seems the forest service wants the 412epi. At $11-12m what advantages are you gaining? +10-20kts cruise and bigger fuel tanks for ferry? I'm guessing the useful load is comparable with a managed fuel load? Once at a fire all you're really gaining is a $25-30k daily rate?

what other next gen medium is there for fire? The 169? Don't know much about them but AW is MX heavy. The 145 technically squeaks in but with a small bucket it's a glorified type 3

Type 2s are worthless

Will outperform a 205 in almost every aspect....

whats 205 4K on hook that you prolly don't ever get. Astars what 3,200 all day long?

let's be realistic here, a 205 will lift 3000 doing a FS load calc, and a Astar 2000. At MGW  jettisonable. Internal weights will differ more since the "skid limmit" is almost 1000# less on the Astar and only 300# different on the 205. Don't get me wrong, the Astar has become a good machine. 

I couldn't agree more with Gringo. I am a huge astar fan, however, having flown the 205 extensively and the astar extensively....the 205 lifts more and has way more room internal, add in the tail rotor clearance above the ground and its a great IA machine. 

Blows them both out of the water your little 205s will be in the scrapper soon

You might be right, but it will just cost a lot more money. Average or reasonable Bell medium rates right now are in the $6,500 per day range (give or take $1,000). Even if we ignore the fact that the UH60 doesn't have a standard category certificate will cost $15,000-18,000 per day and much higher per hour. The Puma seems to be a better option if the government is willing to pay a higher price.

Puma...better option...never thought I'd hear those words put together

Isn't the better option and the USFS doesn't care about money, they blow it like no one's business. You watch, the hawks will start carrying people, regardless of type certificate status, its coming.

The orignal post was about type 2's but since we're now talking type 1, Just get CHI to build a bunch of "New"  234's , FAA TC'd, carry a bunch of people and deliver a lot more water than a UH60 that can't carry people. Columbia does own the type cert for both 107 and 234 so they can technically built 0 time aircraft. 

Do you have a link to see these said contracts?

sam.gov    search type2

Not a single 412 on the list...maybe because they SUCK!