Northern Thunderbird Air has been chosen by the BC Ambulance Service to help provide an essential service.

The Prince George company will provide one fixed wing aircraft to help transfer patients who need advanced care.

The deal isn't done yet, as the BC Ambulance Service must still negotiate the proposed five year contract.

Spokesman Les Fisher says NT Air also holds the current contract, but several bids have been considered.

"Within this one, there's some enhanced vision equipment that will be installed on their machine, so that's a bit of an enhancement to the contract, but they were the previous provider there."

Carson Air has been chosen to provide four turboprop airplanes based in Kelowna and Vancouver and a jet based in Vancouver.

The two new contracts are worth an estimated annual value of $18.8 million and have the option to renew for three additional years. 

The existing contracts expire on June 30, 2012.

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