Swiss Air Ambulance, known locally as Rega, has now upgraded all their mountain bases to the AgustaWestland Da Vinci, based on AW109SP model – the last two bases to upgrade were at Zweisimmen and Mollis.

The crew of the helicopter base at Zweisimmen upgraded to an AW109SP Da Vinci last Saturday with a patient transfer from Bern University Hospital. Their second task on that first day was for an injured skier at Tschuggen in the Bernese Oberland, who was flown to Interlaken hospital. From there the helicopter flew directly to an injured ski tour guide on the Wistätthorn mountain, the location of which required the use of the rescue hoist. The fourth and last operation of the day was for a skier who had had a collision on Horneggli.

The crew of the helicopter at the Rega base at Mollis also had several premieres on Saturday. The first flight with their new Da Vinci was at 2850 m above sea level, where they flew an injured snowboarder on Mount Titlis to the hospital to Lucerne. In the afternoon the crew was called back to Central Switzerland. On Galtiberg (also in the Titlis area) from where seven skiers needed evacuating. The crew took a helicopter rescue specialist from the Swiss Alpine Club SAC, who was then put down onto the rough terrain by hoist to assist in getting each skier rescued.

MOving Rega’s mountain bases to the Da Vinci marks the end of their use of the A109K2. Rega purchased a fleet of 16 K2s, which were brought on line between 1992 and 1995

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