In an emergency, every second counts. Therefore, helicopters are a valuable addition to regular ambulances. But how does a rescue mission with a helicopter work?
As a helicopter pilot with Air Rescue, Sylvain Payet begins his shift at 7.30am with a helicopter check-up. By 8am, the helicopter must be ready for deployment. The routine remains the same every morning; the only change is the helicopter. Two new Airbus machines have now officially joined the fleet of Luxembourg’s Air Rescue, replacing older aircraft.
The decision was not taken lightly, explains René Closter, President of Luxembourg Air Rescue. On the one hand, this purchase is the Air Rescue’s largest financial investment in the last 20 years. On the other hand, it presented a significant challenge for the team, from technicians as well as pilots. Unlike your average driver's licence for cars, a pilot licence is not as transferable across various machines, a pilot cannot seamlessly transition between helicopters; it takes about two months for a pilot to be fully trained on a new machine.
The rest of the crew also had to undergo training for the new helicopter. On every emergency flight, alongside the pilot, there is a doctor and a so-called flight nurse on board. As a flight nurse, one has two roles: on the ground, working as an emergency nurse hand in hand with the doctor, and in the air, taking on the role of a flight assistant – providing support to the pilot.
From 8am until sunset, the team and the helicopter are ready for deployment. However, flying is subject to weather conditions, which the pilot constantly monitors. In case of fog, ice, or heavy snowfall, the team also has an ambulance available.
When the alarm rings, they must act quickly: the team has three minutes until the helicopter needs to be in the air. The team averages two to three missions a day. Besides occasional planned transports, most of their missions involve emergencies, ranging from accidents to heart attacks, strokes, or resuscitation. Often, the goal is not just to transport the patient by helicopter but to reach the patient as quickly as possible to provide care. The pilot has the highest level of responsibility as they face demanding requirements to become qualified. The prerequisite is 1,500 to 2,000 of flight hours, equivalent to about 20 years of professional experience.
Video report in Luxembourgish:
