HELI Flugrettung Südtirol Deploys New Airbus H145 Rescue Helicopter

HELI – Flugrettung Südtirol EO has placed a brand‑new Airbus H145 (type BK117D3, registration I‑HEBZ) into service at its Bozen base. The aircraft, supplied by Avincis Aviation Italia, can carry up to 150 kg more than the previous model, features an optimized patient cabin, rear‑mounted cameras for vertical take‑off and landing, and enhanced searchlights for night missions. Director Stefan Viehweider said the upgrade “invests in safety, performance and modern rescue technology” and will allow crews to serve the population at the highest level.

At the same time, Giulia di Stefano has taken over as president of the audit board, overseeing the growing technical, personnel and organisational demands of the service. In 2025 the three existing rescue helicopters (Pelikan 1‑3) completed 2,792 missions, logged 109,960 flight minutes and treated 2,652 patients from South Tyrol, the rest of Italy and abroad.