DRF Luftrettung has taken delivery of the first EC145 T2, which was certified by EASA in the spring. The operator has ordered 20 units, and board member Steffen Lutz is extremely proud to be the first in the world to receive the T2: “We're expecting this helicopter to enter service at our 24/7 air rescue station in Munich by the end of the year,” he says. “We've been using night vision goggles there since 2009, when we became Germany's first air rescue organisation to do so, and the new EC145 T2 is ideal for night-time rescue missions.”

The rotorcraft is compact, comes with a range of cabin equipment options, and can perform in extremes of weather. European air rescue organisations have ordered 85 units to date. These customers have been joined by a German police air squadron and the German Armed Forces, which plans to customise 15 helicopters for special forces operations. In addition, the EC145 T2 will be used to transport personnel to offshore platforms, and orders have also been received for the luxury corporate version designed for business travel. Some 20 helicopters will be delivered by the end of this year.