Aerolite kitting out 21 helicopters for Rega

Aerolite is involved in the largest helicopter procurement project in the history of Rega. In an announcement, Rega invites readers to watch a new video, which shows how the specialist for the design and installation of interior equipment for emergency rescue helicopters, flight ambulances and business jets from Ennetbürgen in the canton of Nidwalden, Switzerland, is currently equipping the 21 Airbus H145 helicopters making up the new single-type fleet with everything needed to serve rescue personnel and patients. The new aircraft will be stationed at 14 operational bases located throughout the country.

According to Rega, which operates in the legal form of a foundation, all of the helicopters procured since 2009 are to be replaced by the end of 2026. To this end, it is investing a sum of 200 million Swiss francs in capital. The new H145 is a powerful helicopter ideally suited to high-altitude operations, which is thanks not least to its five-bladed rotor. Furthermore, the manufacturer Airbus Helicopters has developed a new navigation and avionics system specifically for Rega, which facilitates instrument flight in narrow valleys and challenging terrain, even in conditions with the poorest visibility levels.

The interior, which has been specifically designed for Rega, is installed by an Aerolite team at the company’s own hangar in Kloten in the canton of Zurich. As Stefan Bacher, Team Leader Completion at Aerolite, explains in the video, the newly arrived helicopters are initially dismantled, "with all the interior panels removed in the process. We then start with the fixation points for the equipment. Electric cables are installed, and the interior fittings have to be modified”.

The air rescue service took delivery of its first H145 at the beginning of December. According to a report from Rega, the first new helicopter was already involved in a mountain rescue operation in mid-March. All of the helicopters and crews are gradually expected to be operational by 2026.

“We are on the go around the world and are not at home much”, Bacher states in the video. “This is why it’s even more of an honor to work for Rega. It’s a great feeling when you look out of the window from home, see the helicopters and can say that you worked on it”. ce/mm