Northern Helicopter

NHC Northern Helicopter is based in Emden and operates as a reliable partner for offshore air rescue, air ambulance operations, offshore emergency evacuation, research aviation, and sea pilot transfer. The company focuses on serving the offshore wind industry in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, providing rapid response capabilities for emergencies and transport needs in these challenging maritime environments.

The company operates Helicopter Emergency Medical Services from bases in Sankt Peter-Ording and Güttin on the Island of Rugia. These locations are positioned to provide quick access to offshore wind farms, ensuring that emergency medical support is available to workers at sea. The service is designed to handle the demands of offshore operations.

Medical flights depart from Norden-Norddeich to reach the East Frisian Islands as well as offshore wind farms in the German Bight. This service connects island residents and offshore personnel with hospitals on the mainland. The ambulance operations are part of the company mission to deliver urgent healthcare access in coastal and island regions.

Sea pilot transfer services for the Elbe, Weser, Jade, and Ems waterways are carried out by helicopters based in Wilhelmshaven-Mariensiel. This operation supports maritime traffic by transporting pilots to and from vessels, facilitating safe navigation in and out of major German ports and river estuaries along the North Sea coast.

The company helicopter crew accompanies the research icebreaker Polarstern on scientific missions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions. This research aviation support involves operating in extreme polar conditions to assist with scientific expeditions, demonstrating the crew ability to manage diverse and demanding flight environments.

The fleet consists exclusively of Airbus Helicopters models, specifically the H155, H145, and BK 117 C1. These aircraft are technically and medically equipped for demanding flight services over water. The airworthiness of the helicopters is ensured by the company CAMO together with DRF Maintenance GmbH, which belongs to the shareholder DRF Luftrettung.

Northern Helicopter GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of DRF Luftrettung, which has over 50 years of experience in air rescue and operates stations across Germany and Austria. DRF Luftrettung performs emergency rescue and intensive care patient transports, bringing broad medical aviation experience to the subsidiary.

Services

• Sea Pilot
• HEMS
• Passenger & freight transport
• Ambulance
• Research
• Offshore air rescue
• Offshore emergency evacuation
• Sea pilot transfer