ÖAMTC aircraft

ÖAMTC aircraft is the air rescue helicopter fleet operated by the Austrian automobile club ÖAMTC, primarily through its non-profit Christophorus Flugrettungsverein (CFV). The organisation is the largest provider of air rescue in Austria, maintaining helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) bases in all nine federal states. It was founded by the regional associations of ÖAMTC as a charitable association. From 18 permanent bases, the Christophorus helicopters carry out year-round missions for medical emergencies, accidents, and inter-hospital transfers. In winter, additional seasonal bases operate in the alpine regions of western Austria under the call signs "Alpin 1", "Alpin 2", and "Alpin 5". The origins of Austrian air rescue date back to the early 1970s, with ad-hoc helicopter transports between hospitals, mountain rescue operations, and occasional traffic accident responses. A tragic incident in 1979 in Styria, where a severely injured child could not be transported in time, led to the first official medical helicopter rescue service in Austria. In 1983, ÖAMTC adopted the German ADAC model and began building its "Christophorus" fleet with BO-105 helicopters. The first two bases, Christophorus 1 in Innsbruck and Christophorus 2 in Krems, were established. Financing was secured through contracts with social insurance carriers in 1984, and in 1985 the service was expanded nationwide. Between 2002 and 2006, the CFV took over bases from the Austrian Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior as the state withdrew from air rescue. The fleet was fully converted to Eurocopter EC 135 helicopters. In 2006, a cooperation with the Hungarian rescue service OMSZ was established, and at that time the CFV was the largest civilian EC 135 operator in Europe with 24 helicopters. Today, the CFV operates 18 bases across Austria, with six additional winter bases under the Heli-Ambulance-Team (HAT) in cooperation with the private operator Wucher. The organisation works closely with the Austrian Red Cross, Austrian Mountain Rescue, and Vienna Professional Rescue. Approximately 250 emergency doctors work for the organisation. The average time for a Christophorus helicopter to reach an emergency site is 14 minutes.

The history of ÖAMTC aircraft is closely tied to the development of air rescue in Austria. As early as the beginning of the 1970s, helicopter rescue missions were conducted for medical emergencies, including transports between clinics, mountain rescue operations, and occasionally traffic accidents, as well as standby duty at major events such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Österreichring. In 1966, the Ministry of the Interior provided a Long Ranger helicopter from Ēcureuil to the gendarmerie at Graz Airport for traffic surveillance, which could also be used for patient transport. Occasionally, the Austrian Armed Forces, from Aigen im Ennstal in Styria, assisted with larger helicopters equipped with rescue winches, especially for mountain rescues. The idea of flying a neurosurgeon directly to a hospital to perform emergency surgery on-site emerged because patients from remote hospitals often arrived dead or beyond help after being transported by ambulance or helicopter. A comparative analysis showed that this strategy doubled the survival rate, drawing more attention to helicopter rescue. However, political expansion was slow until a tragic incident on Friday, 7 September 1979, forced a change: a severely injured child could not be treated in time at Judenburg Hospital and transferred to Graz because the helicopter was on a private flight for an official. The resulting scandal compelled regional politicians to approve a dedicated, regulated service exclusively for medical emergencies—the first official medical helicopter rescue in Austria. The number of helicopter transports for medical emergencies quickly increased, also because the service became established for non-accident emergencies. Simultaneously, similar activities began in Tyrol, primarily for rescuing injured mountaineers. When Austrian initiators repeatedly pointed to the ADAC helicopter service based in Munich-Harlaching as an example, ÖAMTC adopted the German model in 1983 with its "Christoph" fleet of BO-105 rescue helicopters (MBB, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm) and began building its "Christophorus" fleet in Austria. It was not until 2001 that ÖAMTC also took over the Graz base of the Ministry of the Interior as "Christophorus 12". The Christophorus helicopter service was founded as a "Flugrettungsverein" (air rescue association) by ÖAMTC, largely because Innsbruck surgeon Gerhard Flora criticised the state of air rescue in Austria. With Christophorus 1 in Innsbruck and Christophorus 2 in Krems, the first two emergency doctor helicopters (NAH) were ready. In May 1984, financing was secured through a contract with social insurance carriers, and in May 1985, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Austrian Armed Forces, and ÖAMTC decided to expand air rescue nationwide. The helicopter originally flying as Christophorus 1 has been exhibited at the Technical Museum Vienna since December 2003. Between January and July 2002, the air rescue association took over one base of the Austrian Armed Forces and seven of the Ministry of the Interior after the state withdrew from air rescue for financial reasons. By 2006, three more bases were added. The helicopter fleet was completely converted to EC 135 from Eurocopter. In 2006, the association also entered a cooperation with the Hungarian rescue service OMSZ, which converted its fleet to ÖAMTC helicopters. At that time, the air rescue association was the largest civilian EC 135 operator in Europe with 24 EC 135 helicopters. The association maintains 18 bases throughout Austria. In the winter months, six additional bases of the HAT (Heli-Ambulance-Team) are added. These are operated in cooperation with the private NAH operator Wucher. This is ÖAMTC's response to the increasing number of private helicopter operators. A study commissioned by the Lower Austrian Regional Health Insurance Fund criticised this oversupply, suggesting that of the 38 bases active in the winter season, 22 could be closed without endangering accessibility to all areas within 15 minutes. The CFV works closely with the Austrian Red Cross, Austrian Mountain Rescue, and Vienna Professional Rescue. 250 emergency doctors work for the organisation. The 18 bases cover Austria completely; on average, the Christophorus helicopters arrive at the emergency site after 14 minutes.

• 2006

  Three more bases added; fleet fully converted to EC 135; cooperation with Hungarian rescue service OMSZ established; largest civilian EC 135 operator in Europe with 24 helicopters.

• 2003

  The helicopter originally flying as Christophorus 1 is exhibited at the Technical Museum Vienna since December.

• 2002

  Between January and July, the air rescue association takes over one Armed Forces base and seven Ministry of the Interior bases.

• 2001

  ÖAMTC takes over the Graz base of the Ministry of the Interior as Christophorus 12.

• 1985

  Federal Ministry of the Interior, Austrian Armed Forces, and ÖAMTC decide to expand air rescue nationwide in May.

• 1984

  Financing secured through a contract with social insurance carriers in May.

• 1983

  ÖAMTC adopts the German ADAC model and begins building its Christophorus fleet with BO-105 helicopters.

• 1979

  Tragic incident on 7 September forces approval of the first official medical helicopter rescue service in Austria.

• 1966

  Ministry of the Interior provides a Long Ranger helicopter to the gendarmerie at Graz Airport for traffic surveillance and patient transport.

Largest air rescue provider in Austria, non-profit, nationwide coverage.

• Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS)

• Air rescue operations

• Inter-hospital patient transport

• Seasonal alpine rescue

1. 1ÖAMTC aircraftwikidata.org
2. 2Christophorus Flugrettungsvereinde.wikipedia.org