Air emergency transfer from Mannheim to DRF Air Rescue
The state of Baden-Württemberg has awarded the tender for the operation of the air rescue site at Mannheim Airport to DRF Luftrettung gemeinnützige GmbH (DRF). The contract, signed on September 10, 2025, secures the operation of the site for 15 years.
The DRF will continue to provide the helicopter crew, while the medical crew will be ensured by the University Hospital Mannheim and the University Hospital Heidelberg. For the operation, the DRF will use an Airbus H145 D3 helicopter with a five-blade rotor.
The awarding of "Christoph Ortenau" secures the operation of a new air rescue site in addition to the existing sites. Once all recommendations of the air rescue study have been implemented, the then existing ten air rescue sites will be able to reach every location in Baden-Württemberg within 20 minutes during the day.
The DRF has been operating the Mannheim air rescue site since its establishment on July 1, 1986. The rescue helicopter will be deployed daily from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM and will bear the radio call sign "Christoph Mannheim".
State Secretary Thomas Blenke said the decision ensures continuity at the Mannheim site and a partner familiar with the local situation. The Mannheim awarding is the second of ten tendering procedures in the state, with the first being an extension of an already existing air rescue site.
The Interior Ministry is preparing further tendering procedures for air rescue sites in Baden-Württemberg. A total of ten tendering procedures will be carried out in the state, and decisions on the other sites will be made successively through tendering procedures.
The retention of the site is a result of the expert recommendations from the structural and demand analysis of air rescue in Baden-Württemberg from 2020. A new station will be built on the grounds of CityAirports Mannheim.
The implementation of all air rescue study recommendations will ensure that all locations in Baden-Württemberg can be reached by air rescue sites within 20 minutes during the day. The awarding for Mannheim is the first extension of an existing site.
The DRF's commitment to the Mannheim air rescue site is a testament to their dedication to providing life-saving services in the region. The organization looks forward to continuing their mission and ensuring the safety and well-being of the people of Baden-Württemberg.
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