Saxony expands helicopter rescue capabilities with H145 fleet and new hoist

Helicopter emergency medical services in Saxony, Germany, will be expanded from 1 January 2027, with new rescue hoist capability at Zwickau, extended operating hours, and the deployment of Airbus H145 helicopters.

Under the changes, ADAC Luftrettung’s Christoph 46 helicopter, based at Heinrich Braun Hospital in Zwickau, will be equipped with a rescue hoist to improve access to patients in difficult terrain, particularly in the Ore Mountains and Vogtland region.

The three ADAC rescue helicopters serving Leipzig and Zwickau, alongside DRF Luftrettung’s Dresden operation, will also be available until 19:00 hrs during autumn and winter. Previously, the aircraft generally operated from sunrise, no earlier than 07:00 hrs, until sunset.

Crews will use night vision imaging systems (NVIS) to support operations after dark, while the H145 helicopters will provide additional payload capacity and cabin space for medical personnel and patients, including those requiring interhospital transfers.

Specialist hoist training

ADAC Luftrettung crews and members of the Saxon Mountain Rescue Service conducted specialist hoist training in the Ore Mountains from 5–9 October, ahead of the new capability entering service.

The exercises covered rescues in steep and confined terrain, communication between cockpit and medical crews, emergency procedures, and the use of rescue bags and rescue triangles.

Six mountain rescue personnel were scheduled to complete their hoist training during the week.

ADAC said its rescue hoist had a 90m cable and a lifting capacity of approximately 250kg. The operator’s immediate hoist readiness procedures allow crews to deploy without reconfiguring the aircraft cabin or making an intermediate landing, potentially saving up to 10 minutes during emergency responses.

Frédéric Bruder, Managing Director of ADAC Luftrettung, commented: “Extended operating hours and a rescue hoist are available where they are medically necessary.”

The expansion follows the award of new air rescue contracts to ADAC Luftrettung for Leipzig and Zwickau and to DRF Luftrettung for Dresden and Bautzen, beginning in January 2027. DRF Luftrettung has also received approval from the German Federal Aviation Office (Luftfahrt-Bundesamt) for the hoistAR hoist simulator.

ADAC’s three Saxony-based helicopters – Christoph 46, Christoph 61, and Christoph 63 – completed a combined 3,614 missions in 2025.

DRF Luftrettung’s Bautzen base will continue operating around the clock.