DRF Luftrettung prepares for third HHO Symposium

The symposium will be held at the Operations Center of its organizer – German air ambulance provider DRF Luftrettung – at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden airport.

The theme for this year’s event is ‘Safe hoist operation’ and will see training providers and experts from hoist manufacturers and operators around the world discuss new trends and innovations in helicopter hoist operation.

The HHO Symposium will also feature a live presentation of Reiser’s hoistAR HHO simulator – developed in partnership with DRF Luftrettung – as well as a demonstration by Vita Inclinata of its self-stabilizing stretcher system. US manufacturer Lifesaving Systems will also demonstrate new rescue techniques using a rescue sling.

“Our symposium has been successfully established in Europe since 2021,” said Jörg Redetzky, Head of Crew Training at DRF Luftrettung and the symposium’s organizer. “This year, in addition to the in-flight operational aspects of helicopter hoist operation, we are also focusing on medical and technical aspects and will use practical workshops for this for the first time. They will allow participants to take theoretical content – for example from the presentation by the South Tyrol air rescue on resuscitating patients during hoist operation or repairing hoists – and put it into practice directly.”

DRF Luftrettung has been testing sustainable air fuel (SAF) on its Airbus H135 helicopters in partnership with Safran and Airbus since February.