STAT213

Seth,
Bell doesn't really make a decent, tested EMS airframe right now. The 407 is nice, but its little. The 429 is brand new and there's only one flying EMS in the states right now that I know of.
Augusta Westland is a European Company. They also make the previously mentioned NYPD a/c and a few other platforms. Life Flight of Maine flies two of them.
I am not sure why MSP went with something SO big, other than they could. I used to hang out with some of their guys at conferences and they were insistent that they had to have something bigger than the Dauphin. Everybody else in the country does EMS and police work in small machines like Westchester's 407 (which I think is a little too small for EMS) and Life Net's A-Stars (also too small) or medium machines like Life Net's EC135s. NJSP uses the S-76.
As a comparison, the AW 139 is rated for 15, count em 15 passengers, while the Bell 407 can carry 6. The Bell's rotor diameter is 35 feet, the AW 139 is 45. BIG difference in helicopters.
Hey, good on 'em, but to me its overspending taxpayers dollars.