DRF Luftrettung to use new H145 helicopter
From 1 February, the Dortmund, Germany, air rescue team will be on duty with the Airbus Helicopters H145 helicopter
The H145 has a glass cockpit with large screens, a powerful autopilot and a new interior concept that makes work easier for the crew in the cabin and enables even better patient care. In addition, Christoph Dortmund will be equipped with a permanently installed rescue winch in the first half of 2022.
Station Manager and Pilot Markus Sandmann explained: “Flight safety is our top priority. And the H145 significantly increases this, among other things, with its highly modern navigation and communication systems. In addition, their powerful engines are impressive, which, in combination with a new four-axis autopilot, are ideal for use in air rescue.”
The encased tail rotor, the so-called Fenestron, also catches the eye: it is not only significantly more powerful and at the same time quieter, but also considerably more durable to wear, and offers the rescue services on the ground more safety.
Suitable for dual use in emergency care
Emergency doctors and paramedics are also enthusiastic about the new Christoph Dortmund, as the H145 is particularly suitable for dual use in emergency rescue and for complex intensive care transport. The interior concept co-developed by DRF Luftrettung offers many advantages: the medical crew has more space in the cabin, which improves patient care. For transporting seriously ill premature babies in the incubator, or other medically demanding operations, the H145 offers even better conditions with its larger cab, greater range and more power.
In addition to the model change, the DRF Luftrettung will equip the Christoph Dortmund with a rescue hoist in the first half of 2022 to be able to rescue patients more quickly and gently in rough terrain and in difficult operational situations.
"The possibility of access from the air, in combination with the use of the rescue hoist, optimally exploits the technical possibilities of a helicopter and will make civil air rescue even more efficient," explained Dr Krystian Pracz, CEO of DRF Luftrettung. "From the Dortmund location, as the central point in North Rhine-Westphalia, topographically difficult regions or urban areas can be reached very well and quickly.”