RK-2 in the Außerfern

Posse over location of emergency doctor helicopter continues

The RK-2 starts its rescue flights at the Reutte district hospital in Ehenbichl.(Bild: Zeitungsfoto.at/Team)

The emergency helicopter RK-2 of the ARA air rescue service is to move from the heliport in Ehenbichl in the Tyrolean district of Reutte, but the local authority association does not dare to announce this in writing. The ARA Air Rescue feels bullied.

The non-profit ARA air rescue service, which has been operating the airfield near Reutte district hospital since 2005, is caught between two stools. Due to an alleged noise problem at the site, the municipal association BKH Reutte, which owns the airfield, no longer wants to extend the contract with ARA. This means that the RK-2 would have to take off from Ehenbichl in 2027.

No response to three letters
Of course, ARA Managing Director Thomas Jank has not received written confirmation of this - despite repeated requests. "We are literally being left hanging in the air by the municipal association," says Jank angrily. No wonder, as the municipal association left three letters from ARA unanswered last year.

ARA Flugrettung has been trying for months to objectify the discussion and find solutions. However, we are literally left hanging in the air by the municipal association. This situation is becoming more and more of a burden for our employees. They increasingly have the feeling that the ARA is being bullied out of Reutte.

Thomas Jank, Geschäftsführer ARA-Flugrettung

Bild: Bert Spangemacher

Invitation to association meeting
In a letter to association chairman Hanspeter Wagner dated April 5, the ARA asked the municipal association to work towards "finding a good and sustainable solution to the (obviously still unresolved) location issue". However, there was no response. Instead, there was an invitation to a meeting of the association.

"Aircraft noise in Ehenbichl has not increased"
"Among other things, we wanted to show that the deployment figures have remained stable and aircraft noise has not increased," explains GF Jank. "Instead, the mayor of Ehenbichl, Mr. Winkler, told us before the presentation that the RK-2 would be closed at the end of 2027."

No written confirmation
Jank sent an email to association chairman Wagner asking for written confirmation for reasons of legal certainty. Again, no reply was received. Finally, he wrote another letter to Wagner on September 27, 2023. In it, he informed him of five alternative locations for the RK-2 and asked for written confirmation that the Ehenbichl site had been abandoned. The answer? No response!

Commitment to the RK-2
Wagner has now committed himself to the RK-2 in the Außerfern - but only as the head of Breitenwang. However, the ARA must say what it wants. This causes Managing Director Jank to shake his head.