Loc al e Theal pi net ownofZer mat ti nt heVal ai sr egi onoft he S wi s sAl psnes t l esatt heheadoft heMat t er t al val l ey, under t he maj es t i c s t anc e of t he i nf amous Mat t er hor n.Ther es or ti sabus ypl ac ef ormos toft he yearwi t ht our i s t sf l oc ki ng t os ee t he Mat t er hor n, mount ai neer sent i c edbyt hes heerpeaksands ki er s c omi ngf ort hear r ayofpi s t esi nt hewi nt er .I ndeed, t hear eaar oundZer mat tc ont ai nst hemaj or i t yoft he al pi nef our t hous ander s( mount ai nsover4, 000m)as wel lasS wi t zer l and’ shi ghes tmount ai n,t heMont e Ros a. Of c our s e, wi t h s uc h a c hal l engi ng, envi r onment t he l oc alhel i c opt er s er vi c e of Ai r Zer mat ti sc her i s hed.
Ai rZer mat t Ti r el es s l ypur s ui ngt ec hni c al andmedi c al pr ogr es sf or i t sent i r e44yearhi s t or y,Ai rZer mat thasbec omea wor l dl eaderi nt he f i el d ofmount ai nr es c ue.I t s empl oyees , however–pi l ot s , doc t or sandpar amedi c s –donots eet hems el vesas‘ her oesoft hemount ai ns ’ butr at herasexper i enc edpr of es s i onal swhohandl e t hei rdut i esqui c kl y, c ar ef ul l yandr el i abl y, s omet hi ng whi c hAi rZer mat tdemandsofal l ofi t sempl oyees . Thec ompanywasf i r s tf oundedbac kon1Apr i l 1 968 by a handf uloff ar s i ght ed pi oneer si n Zer mat t , i nc l udi ng BeatPer r en,who wasa phar mac i s tby pr of es s i on and di s t r i c tc ouns el l oratt het i me. Ai r Zer mat tAGwases t abl i s hedwi t hj us tas i ngl eBel l J et Rangerhel i c opt erandGer manpi l ot , Günt herAmann. Bac kt henZer mat twasf armor er emot ewi t hnor oad l i nki ngt het ownwi t ht her es toft heval l ey,j us ta s i ngl epat handt r ai nst hatonl yr andur i ngt heday.I n wi nt er t he pat h woul d bec ome es pec i al l y t r eac her ouswi t hr i s kofaval anc hesandt hi sc aus ed pat i entt r ans f erpr obl ems s houl ds omeone have r equi r ed a vi s i tt ot he hos pi t al-s omet hi ng t hat bec amec l ear l yevi dentdur i ngt hewi nt erTyphoi d epi demi catt hes t ar toft he1 960s .Thi ngsneededt o c hange, andt heydi d. The f i r s tr es c ue wasc ar r i ed outt wo weeksaf t er
f oundat i on,wi t h90bei ngf l owni nt ot aldur i ngt he f i r s tyear .I n1 969anAér os pat i al eAl ouet t eI I Iwas pur c has ed and t hi sbec ame t he f i r s thel i c opt eri n S wi t zer l andt obef i t t edwi t har es c uewi nc h.The f ol l owi ng year at t he I nt er nat i onal Hel i c opt er S ympos i um hel di nt heKl ei neS c hei deggpas si nt he Ber nes e Ober l and,Ai rZer mat tdemons t r at ed t he wi nc hbyl ower i ngmount ai ngui dest of i vepoi nt son t he i nf amousand deadl ynor t hf ac e oft he Ei ger , demons t r at i ngt hewi nc h’ swor t hast hi swoul dnow al l ow t hem t oper f or mr es c uespr evi ous l yt hought i mpos s i bl e. F ur t hers t i l lt hey c oul dl engt hen t he
AL amaci r cl est hei coni cMat t er hor n
wi nc hwi t hr opet o65met r es . Aswel lasbei ngmonument ali nt hewor l dofr es c ue t ec hni queAi rZer mat tal s o began t o bui l d on t he medi c alas pec tofr es c uesandi n1 97 3bec amet he f i r s thel i c opt erc ompanyi nS wi t zer l andt oempl oya doc t or t o ac c ompany t he c r ew on al lr es c ues , s omet hi ngevenREGA-t heai rr es c ues er vi c ewhi c h pr ovi des emer genc y medi c al as s i s t anc e i n S wi t zer l and-hadnotyetdone. F ur t her mor e, i n1 985 t hemovewasmadet oengageonl ys pec i al l yt r ai ned anaes t het i s t st oo.
Gr owt h Ai rZer mat thasgr ownqui t ec ons i der abl ys i nc et hen, now wi t hover60empl oyeesi nc l udi ngt enpi l ot s ,a f l eetofei ghthel i c opt er sandnumer ousbas es .The t wo mai n bas esar el oc at ed atZer mat ti t s el fand Rar on, f ur t hernor t hi nt heRhoneVal l ey, butt her ear e al s os mal l erf ac i l i t i esatbot hS i onandGamnel , al s oi n t heRhoneVal l ey.
Zer mat tBas e TheZer mat tbas ei snes t l edat opar oc kypr omont or yj us tnor t hoft het ownandi ti s f r om her et hatmos tofAi rZer mat t ’ smi s s i onsar ef l own.Thebas ec ons i s t sofal ar ge c onc r et epanwi t hf ourl andi ngpadsandanadj ac entmai nt enanc ehangarwher e t hehel i c opt er sandequi pmentar es t or edandwor kedon.Ther ei sal s oanadj oi ni ng of f i c eands hopwher et hepubl i cc anbookpl eas ur ef l i ght sandbuys ouveni r ss uc h asc l ot hes , booksandDVDs .Ont hehi l l s i denextt ot hebas ei st hef oot pat ht hatr uns bet weenZer mat tandTä s c h, wi t hanar eaofbenc hesf ort hepubl i ct os i tandwat c h t he goi ngson att he hel i pad. The bas e atRar on deal swi t ht he maj or i t yof mai nt enanc eont heent i r ef l eet , wi t ha1 2s t r ongt eam r es pons i bl ef ort hi s , aswel l as t hehandl i ngoft heRes c ueCar dsandac c ount s-t hes ebei ngc ar dst hatc anbe pur c has edbyt hepubl i caspr ot ec t i onandc overf oremer genc i es , whi l s tatt hes ame t i mes uppor t i ngt her es c ues er vi c e.
At r i oofvi ewsdepi ct i ngt hemai nbas eatZ er mat tandi t ss ur r oundi ngenvi r onment
Ther e ar es ever aldi f f i c ul t i es t o f l yi ng i nt he mount ai ns wi t hout t aki ng i nt o ac c ount havi ng t o per f or m r es c ues and ot her ac t i vi t i es .Athi gheral t i t udest heai r t hi ns and a hel i c opt er ’ sr ot or s pr oduc el es sl i f t ,bec omi ngs l ower t or es pond. Engi nepoweri sal s o s i gni f i c ant l yr educ ed al ong wi t h di f f i c ul t i esar i s i ngwi t ht heheat i ng andc ool i ngoft heengi ne–s oi ti s es s ent i al t hatAi rZer mat thasaf l eet ofhel i c opt er st hatper f or m wel lat al t i t ude.
Fl eet Thef l eetc ur r ent l yc ompr i s est wo Aér os pat i al e AS 3 1 5B Lamas ,f our Eur oc opt erAS 3 50B2/ B3Ec ur eui l s , a s i ngl e Eur oc opt er EC1 3 5 T2 and br andnew Bel l429. Theout f i ti s c ur r ent l y i n t he mi ds t of t r ans i t i oni ngf r om apr edomi nant l y Lama f l eet t o a pr edomi nant l y Ec ur eui lone,wi t h bot hc ur r ent l y ac t i ngasunders l ungl oadc ar r i er st heLamahavi ngbeenamai ns t ayi n t hemount ai nswor l dwi des i nc et he c ompany’ si nc ept i oni n1 968. Asahel i c opt err eput edf ori t shi gh al t i t ude per f or manc e,t he Lama was c r eat ed t o f i l l an I ndi an r equi r ement f or a hel i c opt er c apabl e ofwor ki ng i nt he t ough envi r onment of t he Hi mal ayas , i ndeedt heLamapr ovedi t s el fi nt he ear l y 1 97 0s under t hes e ‘ hot andhi gh’ c ondi t i ons , exc el l i ng atc ar r yi ngheavyl oads .Thet ype c ur r ent l yhol dst heal t i t uder ec or d f orahel i c opt er ,havi ngr eac heda s t agger i ng 40, 81 4f t( 1 2, 442m) i n 1 97 2.
Aboutt ot ouchdown,t hi sL amabr i ngss omehappyt our i s t sbackt oear t h
T hi sAS 350i ss eenr et r i evi ngwor kmenf r om hi ghupont hemount ai n
AS350Ec ur eui l Themor emoder nEc ur eui li sno s t r angert ot hemount ai nsei t her , bi l l ed ast hebes thel i c opt erf or hi ghal t i t udewor koft hi snat ur e, bei ngf as t , qui etandc omf or t abl e as wel l as havi ng ver s at i l e equi pment opt i ons . I n 2005 F r enc hpi l otDi di erDel s al l ef l ew an AS 3 50 B3 ( al bei ts omewhat s t r i ppeddown)t ot hes ummi tof MountEver es t( 29, 029f t / 8, 848m) and i nt he pr oc es sc l ai med t he r ec or df ort he hi ghes tl andi ng and t akeof f per f or med by a hel i c opt er . The EC1 3 5 al s o s har es c har ac t er i s t i c soft heEc ur eui l asi t i sf as t , qui etandc omf or t abl ebut i naddi t i onhasabet t erequi pped i nt ens i vec ar euni tonboar dand i s es pec i al l ys ui t abl ef orni ght f l i ght s . As s uc h,t he EC1 3 5i s depl oyed on ar ound 80% of r es c ues per f or med by Ai r Zer mat t . The mos tr ec entar r i vali st he i mpr es s i veBel l429,at ypet hat wi l lonl yf ur t hert he c ompany’ s c apabi l i t i es . Thi sl i ght ,t wi n engi ne hel i c opt erwi l lal l ow Ai r Zer mat tt oc ar r youtmor eni ght r es c ueswi t hi t ss pec i al l ybui l ti n and hi ghl y ef f i c i ent S X5 s ear c hl i ght s , MaxVi z i nf r ar ed c amer aandni ghtvi s i ongoggl es s ys t em onboar d. I naddi t i oni t hasasa90met r el ongwi nc hand i nc or por at es muc h moder n medi c al t ec hnol ogy.Bei ngs t abl e i nt hehoveri twi l l al s oaddt ot he c ompany’ s wor ki ng pl at f or m c apabi l i t i es .
Under s l ungLoads Today t he hel i c opt er i st he mos t pr ac t i c aland c ompet i t i ve means of t r ans por t i ngmat er i al si nt hei mpas s abl e geogr aphyar oundt heAl psandass uc h t hi si s wher e Ai rZer mat tgai ns t he maj or i t y of i t s bus i nes s , wi t h appr oxi mat el y 60% of f l yi ng hour s bei ng t aken up by t r ans por t i ng mat er i al svi aunder s l ungl oadsf r om t he Lamas and Ec ur eui l s t o mount ai n bui l di ngs i t es , r ai l ways , s ki l i f t sandc abl e c ar s as wel las s uppl i es t or emot e vi l l ages and mount ai n hut s ,l i f t i ng aval anc he bar r i er s i nt o pl ac e and t r ans por t i ngt i mber .Ai rZer mat ti sal s o s pec i al i s edi nas s embl y,gr eeni ngl ar ge ar eas , f i r ef i ght i ng, aval anc hebl as t i ngas wel l asmi s s i onswi t hwor ki ngpl at f or ms bei ng c ar r i ed,s uc h ast hos ei nvol vi ng powerl i nes .
Mount ai nRes c ues
Pr ovi s i onsbei ng t aken up t o a mount ai n huts l ung beneat haL ama
The t er m mount ai nr es c ue r ef er st o t hos ec ar r i edoutat3 , 000m aboves ea l evel and over , and Ai r Zer mat t under t akes 90% of S wi t zer l and’ s mount ai nr es c ues ,amount i ng t o over 1 , 500peryear .Atanygi vent i met her e ar e t wo i nt ens i ve c ar eequi pped hel i c opt er satc ons t antr eadi nes s( t hr ee i n hi gh s eas on)and a c r ew ofpi l ot , emer genc y doc t orand par amedi con s t andby who have t o ar r i ve at t he hel i padwi t hi nmi nut esofac al lc omi ng i n.I nt het our i s ts eas ont heyar eal mos t nons t op, at t endi ng t o mount ai n c l i mber s ,hi ker sand s ki er saswel las ac ut ei l l nes s es , pr egnanc yc ompl i c at i ons andvi c t i msofr oadt r af f i candi ndus t r i al ac c i dent s . Nowadays t her e ar e 44 doc t or son dut y wi t h Ai rZer mat tf or bet weenonet of ourweeksperyear , wi t ht hes hor tper i odsondut yr educ i ng t heef f ec t soff at i gue.
Ai rZ er mat t ' sdi s t i nct i vel i ver yl ooki ngr es pl endenti nt hes uns hi ne
Of fonar es cuemi s s i on,ar es cueri ss us pendedbel ow aL ama.
Longl i neRes c ues Ai rZer mat thaspi oneer ed t hewayf or l ongl i ne r es c ue t ec hni ques , whi c h i s wher e a 90f tl i ne i s hung bel ow a hel i c opt eral l owi ngar es c uert obeputi n pl ac eonas t eepmount ai nf ac e.Thel i ne has t o be l ong enough s ot hat t he hel i c opt er ’ sr ot or s do notc ont ac tt he mount ai nf ac e.Onl yi nc r edi bl ys ki l l edand pr ac t i c ed pi l ot sar e abl et o us et hes e t ec hni ques as i tt akes a l ot mor e c ons i der at i onwhenf l yi ng.Ther ei sal ot ofyaw pr oduc edbyt hec abl eandbei ng abl et opl ac ear es c ueratt heexac tpoi nt on t he mount ai n f ac e r equi r es an unbel i evabl e amountofc onc ent r at i on andaf i nes s eoft ouc hont hec ont r ol s .
Cr evas s eRes c ues Al ongwi t hgr oundbr eaki ngmount ai nf ac er es c uet ec hni ques Ai rZer mat thasal s ol edt hewayi nc r evas s er es c ue,anot her s i t uat i ont hatpos esmanyc hal l enges .Thef i r s toft hes ebei ng t hataf t er1 5ors omi nut esi nac r evas s e,t hehumanbodywi l l f us et ot hei c eduet obodyheat .S or es c uer snotonl yhavet obe abl et or eac ht hevi c t i m,butal s os epar at et hem f r om t hei c e, r equi r i ngmuc hs pec i al i s tequi pment .AHabeggert r i podi ss et upovert hec r evas s eandt hent hevi c t i mi sf r eedus i ngahammer dr i l l wi t has pec i f i c al l ymanuf ac t ur edbi t–apr oc edur ewhi c hhas s avedc ount l es sl i vesovert heyear s .
L amasons i ght s eei ngf l i ght sass eenf r om bot hi ns i deandout .
Tour i s m Ofc our s e, aswel l ast hevi t al mount ai nr es c ueand s uppl ys er vi c est hatAi rZer mat tc ar r i esout , t our i s m makesupal ar gepar tofwhati tdoes , wi t ht our i s t s want i ngt ogetauni quevi ew oft heAl psort ous e t hehel i c opt er sf orot hermeans . Yearonyeart heai rt axis er vi c et hati savai l abl e bet ween Zer mat tand i nt er nat i onalai r por t si s i nc r eas i ngi npopul ar i t yandc ur r ent l yover1 , 000 pas s enger sayearar ef er r i ed t o and f r om S i on, Geneva, Zur i c h, LuganoandMi l an. I nwi nt erhel i s ki i ngadvent ur esar eof f er edf r om bot ht heZer mat tandRar onbas es .Thi si swher e s ki er sar ef l ownt oal oc at i onf orof f t r ai l s ki i ngi na mor epr i s t i neandnat ur al envi r onmentt hanwoul d ot her wi s ebef oundont hepopul arpi s t es .
Above-F l yi ngal ongs i deamount ai nf acehi ghupi nt heAl ps . S i ght s eei ngf l i ght sar ebyf art hemos tpopul ars er vi c e t hati sof f er ed,wi t h over8, 000 peopl e enj oyi ng s oar i ng overt he r ugged s nowc apped peaksper year .F l ownar oundt hel oc alar eaaswel lasf ur t her af i el d,t her ear enumer ouspr es etf l i ght st oc hoos e f r om aswel l ast heopt i onofhavi ngonet ai l ormade. The s t andar ds i ght s eei ng f l i ghtc ompr i s es of20 mi nut esar oundZer mat tr out i ngvi at heWei s s hor n, Mat t er hor n, Br ei t hor nandMont eRos a.
educ at i on and t r ai ni ng f orpr of es s i onal sand t he gener alpubl i ci nt hef i el dofpr ec l i ni c alemer genc y medi c alai d,t ec hni c almount ai nr es c ue,ai rr es c ue medi c i ne,Al pi ni s m andal lr el at edar easwi t hi nt he f r amewor kofc our s es ,t al ksand pr es ent at i ons .I t of f er s t he mos t c ompr ehens i ve t r ai ni ng f or emer genc ydoc t or sandpar amedi c si nt hef i el dof mount ai nr es c uei nt hef or m oft hei nt er nat i onal l y r ec ogni s edDi pl omaofMount ai nEmer genc yDoc t or .
Whi l s tbei ngoneoft hewor l dl eader si nt hef i el dof mount ai nr es c ue,Ai rZer mat tdoes an i mmens e amountofwor kt os har et he knowl edge gai ned, benef i t i ngot heror gani s at i onsandc ount r i es .
I nNepalAi rZer mat ti sal s ohel pi ngt obui l dar es c ue s t at i on wher e hel i c opt er pi l ot s and mount ai n r es c uer sal i ke c an be t r ai ned f orhi ghl yc ompl ex r es c uemi s s i onsatal t i t udesofupt o7 , 000m.I ti sher e t hatt hec ompany’ spi l ot shaveonc eagai nbr oken boundar i es .
I n 2001Ai rZer mat tf ounded t he Al pi ne Res c ue Cent r e( ARC)wi t hi t s pur pos e bei ng t o pr ovi de
T heMat t er t al val l eyi scer t ai nl yabeaut i f ul pl acet owor k.
Apai rofEcur eui l sr
Above&l ef t-T hepi l othol dst heL amai nas t eadyhoveral l owi nggr oundcr ew t oat t achanunder s l ungl oadbef or edel i ver i nghi ghupi nt ot hemount ai ns . Overi t s44yearhi s t or yAi rZer mat thasc omei nf ormuc hac c l ai m, f r om t heear l yyear s and expl oi t sofi t sf i r s tpi l ot ,Günt herAmann,r i ghtt hr ough t ot he pr es entday. Numer ousi nt er nat i onalhonour shavebeenawar dedt ot hec r ewsofAi rZer mat t , i nc l udi ngt hr eeher oi s m awar dsi n1 97 2, 1 97 6and201 0.Thel at t erawar dc ameabout af t erar ec or dbr eaki ngl ongl i ner es c uewasc ar r i edouti nNepalwhent woofAi r Zer mat t ’ spi l ot sr et r i evedt hr eeS pani s hc l i mber sf r om apoi ntonAnnapur naat6, 900m i noneofF i s ht ai l Ai r ’ sEc ur eui l s .
l sr es taf t erabus ymor ni ng,r ef l ect edi nt hehangarwi ndow.
Ai rZer mat t , whi l s tc omi ngf r om humbl e begi nni ngs ,hasr i s enupt obec omea pr emi ermount ai nr es c ue out f i t ,now bei ng t he epi t ome of s peed and r el i abi l i t y.Benef i t i ngnotonl yi t sown c or ner of t he Al ps i t al s o has an i nt er nat i onalr eac hi nt he wor l d of mount ai nr es c uequi t eunl i keanyot her . Never s at i s f i ed, t he or gani s at i on c ont i nuest opus ht heboundar i esi nal l el ement sofwhati tdoes ; bei ti nt er ms oft hehel i c opt er s ,t het ec hni c al i t i esof r es c uesormedi c aladvanc ement s .Ai r Zer mat tmakest hemount ai nsamuc h s af erpl ac ei nt heeventofdi s as t erand wi l l c ont i nuet odos o.