Austria’s Schenk Air has added a second Agusta 109E to its fleet. Despatcher Armin Krabichler said: “The aircraft is brand new and arrived with only seven flight hours on it. The main reason we chose it was because we already had one, which makes maintenance far easier to handle.” The company purchased its first 109E back in December 2000.

The aircraft will be used for a combination of medevac flights and ad-hoc charters. Krabichler explained: “Our new 109E has been specially prepared to enable a winch to be attached, for air rescue. In the winter months, from December through to April, our aircraft are used as fully equipped, physician-staffed rescue helicopters. We then make vip and other taxi flights on request and in the summer there is an increased demand for film and photography flights.

“Last year we visited some Formula One Grand Prix meetings in Austria and Germany with our heli-copters, so we’re more than happy to charter one of our 109Es in the summertime if there is an interesting offer!”

Schenk Air has two bases; Schruns the main base is located in Vorarlberg, Austria, where the heliport is situated above Dr. Schenk’s private hospital for sports injuries. The second base Ischgl/Idalpe is in Tirol, Austria and houses a heliport with two hangars and a medical centre in the middle of one of the most popular skiing areas in Austria, at an altitude of 2,300 metres. “This base was completed in December 2002 and our two helicopters are alternately based in Ischgl or Schruns. From the heliport in Schruns, business aviation is not allowed so we just make rescue flights. Our business aviation flights are then made from our Ischgl heliport,” said Krabichler.

This second Agusta 109E replaced the company’s Koala A119 and an Agusta 109C as part of a continued fleet renewal programme. “In the last few years Schenk Air has invested a great deal of money in a top-of-the-range modern fleet with the latest equipment. We also have a lot more plans for the future, which I will soon be able to reveal,” he added.