HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia's emergency LifeFlight service could resume hospital helipad landings within six months, as the province nears a deal to obtain two newer model helicopters, Health Minister Leo Glavine says.

Glavine said Thursday his department is close to a deal to obtain two Sikorsky S-76 C+ helicopters to transport critically ill patients.

He said negotiations would amend the existing contract with the current LifeFlight provider -- Canadian Helicopters Ltd. -- to provide the newer, larger helicopters.

They will be able to land on helipads at the IWK Children's Hospital and the Infirmary hospital site in Halifax.

Glavine said the cost would be released when the deal is formally announced early next month. The current lease for the helicopter service costs $3.6 million.

"We will have a long-term lease arrangement," he said.

Glavine said once details are worked out, the goal is to have the helicopters in service as quickly as possible.

"Because we are getting a very similar aircraft to what we currently have there is a much shorter training period, so the goal is, we're aiming for six months."

The current LifeFlight helicopter was banned from rooftop hospital landings under federal regulations in April. At the time, Transport Canada said the Sikorsky S-76A didn't have the certification level required to land on hospital helipads in densely populated areas.

An interim plan requires the existing helicopter to land at an alternate site near a Halifax park.

The newer Sikorsky is the same model that was recently grounded in British Columbia. Glavine said Transport Canada has now confirmed the aircraft is approved to land on so-called H1 helipads across the country.

He said the decision means Nova Scotia's new helicopters will fly in compliance with federal rules.

"This is in full compliance, no exemption," he said. "This gives us now the full ability to operate to the current helipads."

He said they will be refurbished to suit LifeFlight's needs.

The current LifeFlight helicopter, which was manufactured in 1980, flew 389 of the 750 missions flown by EHS last year. The company also has an airplane based at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

EHS director Larry Crewson said the advantage of the two larger Sikorskys will be aircraft availability, which will be boosted to 98 per cent from the current 80 per cent.

"The aircraft itself is going to be a lot better performing because it's newer, it has more power," said Crewson. "It has an increased payload, increased range and a better response time for the crews and for the patients."

Crewson doesn't know how new the helicopters will be, but said manufacturing of the Sikorsky S-76 C+ dates back to 2005.

"What's important about aircraft is how many flight hours are on it when you acquire it," he said.