Austria’s ÖAMTC signs new Order and becomes World’s biggest EC 135 Operator with 21 Aircraft Fleet
Le Bourget, 14 June 2003
The Austrian Automobile Association, ÖAMTC, signed an order for an additional three EC 135s in EMS configuration the week prior to the Paris Airshow. Upon delivery, this will increase their total fleet from presently 18 to 21 helicopters of this type and make ÖAMTC the world’s biggest civil EC 135 operator. The new order reflects the steady increase in rescue and ambulance missions flown by the Austrian organisation over the past years.
In 2002, ÖAMTC achieved a record number of 13,227 rescue missions flown, equalling one flight every 20 minutes per day, and a total of 6,500 hours flying time in that year. Some 1000 lives were saved, and several thousand more persons escaped serious and permanent damage to their health due to the fast medical help provided by ÖAMTC’s helicopters. Since 1983, when ÖAMTC started their EMS operation with an Eurocopter AS 350 named ‘Christophorus 1’, the organisation has flown a total of 90,000 missions. These impressive figures prove that ÖAMTC’s helicopter rescue service has become the backbone of emergency medical services in the Alps.
ÖAMTC began replacing its seven A 350s, which had served six bases, with seven EC 135s as of 1997. When the Austrian government decided to privatise the country’s EMS services entirely in September 2000, the organisation won the contract for an additional eight bases which had previously been operated by the government. Subsequently, a further eleven EC 135s were brought into service. They will soon be joined by the newly ordered three units to meet growing demand.
According to Kurt Nordberg, director of the air rescue activities of ÖAMTC, “the EC 135 is the ideal aircraft for the ‘Christophorus’ EMS fleet.” With medical equipment developed specially for ÖAMTC, each of their EC 135s is transformed into a flying intensive-care ward of the highest international standard.
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