2. HELICOPTER – EQUIPMENT AND WORK TYPE 2.1. Flights involve slow and low-level flying to permit Commission employees, or their agents, to accurately locate, identify, and log locations of bald eagles/wading birds and their nests or to collect other information while airborne. Because of the inherent dangers of low-level, low-speed flight and hovering, out of ground effect and high mid-day temperatures over water bodies during summer, and vegetation in close proximity during flights, the Commission requires the use of turbine helicopters. Only Bell Jet Rangers or Commission approved equivalent turbine helicopters (Alouette II) with a three-passenger minimum transport capacity will be considered for this bid. 2.2. The vendor must submit with their bid photocopies of the current Standard Airworthiness Certificate, 14 CFR Part 135 Air Carrier Operator Certificate, and proof of registration for the helicopters to be used. 2.3. Each helicopter used shall be equipped with a pilot and passenger two-way intercom system and may need to be capable of allowing the passenger to transmit to the ground, if requested by Commission employees. Each helicopter shall be equipped with a GPS unit capable of being programmed with at least 50 “waypoints” and used to navigate to within 100 feet of those points. In addition, the GPS unit will need to accommodate the accurate flying of low level transects during the wading bird surveys.
