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The SAR (Search and Rescue) flight of the Royal Netherlands Air Force was established in 1959 as part of the 298 sqdn and operated 8 Alouette II for their SAR and TAR tasks. In 1966, the Alouette II was replaced by 5 Alouette III helicopters. The SAR flight was based at Ypenburg, with one of the helicopters stationed at Terschelling. On 23 September 1968, the SAR flight moved to Soesterberg and the TAR task was replaced by a photography task. The SAR-flight moved to Leeuwarden on 30 June 1977 and the photography task was dropped. Alouette III H-81 "Fred" was delivered to the SAR flight on 8 July 1966. After being wfu on 18 March 1994, the helicopter was sold to the Pakistan Navy "138" on 9 August 1994. Alouette III H-81 was photographed at Leeuwarden AFB on 26 April 1990.

The four Alouette III helicopters of the SAR Flight of the Royal Netherlands Air Force were replaced by three Agusta Bell AB-412SP in 1994. AB-412SP R-01 was handed over on 11 November 1993 and arrived on delivery at Leeuwarden AFB on 4 March 1994. The Agusta Bell is used for Search and Rescue-tasks, including emergency assistance for the Friesian Isles. This medevac-task means that the helicopter is used for emergency transport of persons from the Isles to the hospitals on the mainland. In 1998, the SAR Flight was renamed 303 squadron. Agusta Bell AB.412SP R-01 was photographed at Leeuwarden AFB on 4 October 1994.

MD-900 PH-SHF was photographed at the helipad of the SZE-hospital in Emmen on 18 July 2003. It came in as "Lifeliner 4" of the MMT (Mobil Medical Team). The MMT "Lifeliner 4" is based at the helideck at the roof of the AZG (UMCG) in Groningen. The PH-SHF (ex.N7008Q) owned and operated by Schreiner Northsea Helicopters was registered on 22 January 2001. The PH-SHF was replaced as "Lifeliner 4" by the Eurocopter EC 135 P2 D-HSAN on 1 October 2003. The 4 EMS-helicopters in the Netherlands are: "Lifeliner 1" stationed in Amsterdam, "Lifeliner 2" stationed in Rotterdam; "Lifeliner 3" stationed at Volkel AFB near Nijmegen and "Lifeliner Europe 4" stationed in Groningen.

MBB BO.105S D-HBBB of the DRF-Deutsche Rettungflugwacht e.V. (Rettungsdienststiftung Björn Steiger e.V.) was photographed at the DRF-maintenance station at Baden-Baden Oos on 20 July 1985. The DRF facilities at Baden Baden/Oos were opened in 1980. In 1999, the DRF-Operation-Center at the Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport was opened, including the new maintenance facilities. The 1977-built MBB Bo.105S D-HBBB (ex. D-HDLG) was operated by the DRF from February 1980 until October 1997. It was transferred to ALT-Air Lloyd Luftfahrt GmbH and reregistered D-HDRA 10/1997. As D-HDRA it was used by the IFA as backup at Leipzig. In December 2007, the D-HDRA was noted in all blue colors at Baden Airpark.

In Europe the EC 135 is common as EMS-helicopter. The EC 135 is a lightweight five/seven seat twin-turbine-engine multi-role helicopter with a radius of 720 km. On 8 September 2005, the D-HSAN "Lifeliner Europe 4" was photographed above the helipad of the Scheper Ziekenhuis Emmen, in the Netherlands. The MMT (Mobil Medical Team) "Lifeliner Europe 4" is stationed at the helideck on the roof of the UMCG in Groningen. The 2003-built Eurocopter EC-135P2 D-HSAN was registered in March 2003 and delivered to the ADAC Luftrettung GmbH in Germany and replaced the MDHI MD-900 PH-SHF as "Lifeliner 4" on 1 October 2003. The D-HSAN is one of six EMS-helicopters operated by ANWB Medical Air Assistance.

RTH (Rettungstransporthubschrauber) MBB BK.117B-2 D-HDAC was photographed in 2003 at the ADAC-Luftrettungszentrum Sanderbusch located at the "Nordwest-Krankenhaus" in Sande. As it was operated by the ADAC-Luftrettung out of Sanderbusch its callsign was "Christoph 26". This MBB BK.117B-2 is ex D-HBKG and was registered D-HDAC with the ADAC Luftrettung GmbH in 1984. The callsign "Christoph" is used for the German lifeliner helicopters since 1970 and is derived of Saint Christophorus, the Patron Saint for all travellers.

Flotille 35F of the Aeronavale operates six SA.365N Dauphin (n°6017; 6019; 6024; 6081; 6091 and 6157). These helicopters are used on SAR-duties at the aircraftcarriers of the French Navy and in public SAR service in the SA.365SP configuration along the coast at the stations La Rochelle, Hyères, Le Touquet and Cherbourg. SA.365N n°6091 was built in 1983, testflown as F-WXFJ and operated as TF-SIF; F-WYME; F-GEDQ; OY-HMZ; F-GFBX; PT-HUD and F-GFBX before it entered service with the Navy as the 91 of Flotille 32F in the SA.365SP configuration in February 1995. The public SAR operations, including the SA.365N Dauphins, were transferred to Flotille 35F on 1 June 2001. Marine Nationale SA.365SP Dauphin "91" was photographed at the SAR-station at the airport of Le Touquet on 16 June 1995.

The EMS helicopter in Evansville, Indiana, USA is based at St.Mary's Riverside campus and operated as "St.Mary's LifeFlight", known before as "Life Flight of the Welborn Baptist Hospital". It was renamed after St.Mary's purchased in 1999 the Welborn Baptist Hospital. The 1980-built "LifeFlight/WELBORN Baptist Hospital" Long Ranger N5751M was photographed at the airport of Evansville on 28 January 1993. This Long Ranger is owned by Air Methods - Air Medical Services Division and an example for the EMS helicopters used the USA in the early nineties.

The helicopters of the LZS-Letecká záchranná služba (Aviation Rescue Service) in the Czech republic use the callsign Krystof. The callsign Krystof for the lifeliner helicopters is derived of Saint Christophorus, the Patron Saint for all travellers. LZS Krystof 13 is based at Ceske Budejovice-Hosin airfield and operated by Helicopter s.r.o. LZS Krystof 13 Mil Mi-2 OK-VIK, ex. CCCP-14248 and RA-14248 was photographed at Ceske Budejovice-Hosin on 9 June 1997. The OK-VIK is sold to the Ukraine. In 2004 the LZS Krystof 13 operation was transferred to ALFA-Helicopter spol.s.r.o which uses the Bell 206L4T OK-ZIU out of Ceske Budejovice.

LZS Krystof 18 is based at Liberec airfield in the Czech Republic and operated by Delta System-air s.r.o. Their Eurocopter AS.355F-2 OK-WIQ was photographed at Liberec as the AIR RESCUE SERVICE - LZS Liberec - KRYSTOF 18 on 14 June 1997. This helicopter is operated by Delta System-air since 30 July 1997. The OK‑WIQ (ex. F-WYMA; SE-JET; OK-WIQ; OM-WIQ) was operated before as an Ambulance helicopter with Norrlandsflyg AB in Sweden and with ATE-Air Transport Europe in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. On 15 May 2006, the Ecureuil was registered I-SFLY in Italy.

All photos on this site are copyrighted by international copyright laws, and remain the property of the relevant photographer. Prior permission should always be sought directly from the photographer for any other means than private viewing. If no photographer is mentioned the photos on these pages are made by Jack Wolbrink.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to insure the correctness of data. However, I disclaim any responsibility in case of any errors or omissions. I am not responsible for the content of the linked websites.

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