DRF Akademie

DRF Akademie is the training business of DRF Luftrettung, a German air rescue organisation. It runs technical, flight operations, medical and crew resource management courses in Germany. It describes itself as an independent training business for people who work in health care and rescue.

The technical courses cover helicopter type training for the H145 at B1 and B2 level. The academy also acts as a partner for older models. It offers general familiarisation courses that introduce different helicopter models, and deeper courses for technicians who want to build on that. It also lists type training that is certified under EASA Part 66 and type training that is not EASA certified. It can build custom courses so that a company's own technicians learn what they need for daily work.

The flight operations courses are for flying staff. They include ab initio training for new pilots, with theory and practical modules. They also include type rating training on helicopters such as the H145, instructor authorisation for type ratings and instrument rating training. The academy offers a flight and hoist simulator, and pilot training.

The medical courses are for people in air rescue, ground rescue, hospitals and other emergency medicine roles. They include intensive care transport courses, with a paediatric focus course, and emergency sonography courses. They also include ultrasound for health professionals, ERC advanced life support, ERC paediatric life support and an intro course for emergency doctors. A separate training is offered for emergency doctors on helicopter missions with a rescue hoist.

The academy also teaches human factors and management skills. Its topics include communication, safety and management, stress management and resilience, human performance and decision making. The human performance seminar explains the limits of the human body and mind, crew resource management principles and team leadership. It uses real examples from air rescue and applies them to office work.

Seminars can be held in person, online or as blended learning. Role plays can take place in the academy's own helicopter simulator. Experienced trainers from DRF Luftrettung, with backgrounds in flying and emergency medicine, lead the courses. The academy works in German and English.

Services

• H145 type training B1 and B2
• EASA Part 66 type training
• General familiarisation courses
• Custom technician training
• Ab initio pilot training
• Type rating training
• Instrument rating training
• Flight and hoist simulator
• Intensive care transport courses
• Human factors training