More helicopter noise in Murnau: is it due to external helicopters?

- The ADAC air rescue made corresponding observations

Created: 09/16/2022, 12:03 p.m

By: Roland Lory

Stationed at the accident clinic since 1999: Christoph Murnau.

Time restrictions are not compatible with the idea of ​​emergency rescue.

Wolfgang Rupp, spokesman for the government of Upper Bavaria © Unfallklinik

If you live in the east of Murnau, you have to deal with the noise of helicopters.

The helicopters are said to be coming directly from the north and flying over the residential area to the landing site.

The ADAC air rescue service also observes “sporadically” that external helicopters, for example from Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Italy, do not always stick to the specified corridors.

Murnau

– The yellow ADAC helicopter “Christoph Murnau” has been stationed at the Murnau Accident Clinic for around 20 years.

But there are also other helicopters that head for the hospital.

Of the more than 1000 landing approaches each year, about two thirds are by Christoph Murnau, the other third are other rescue helicopters such as the red and white helicopters of the German Air Rescue (DRF).

"But also approaches of the Johanniter or the ASB reach our BG Unfallklinik Murnau regularly," says Sabrina Mayer, consultant to the management and acting head of the public relations and communication department.

"Because we have a high capacity as a supra-regional trauma center," you also have a larger catchment area.

For local residents, the take-offs and landings are inevitably associated with noise.

Some citizens have the impression that there have been changes.

Residents have noticed that helicopters are now coming directly from the north and flying over the residential area to the landing site.

Has anything changed in the approach lanes in recent years?

If so, what and for what reason?

The Air Authority of Southern Bavaria is in charge.

In 2002, the "approach and take-off areas in an east-northeast and south-southeast direction were defined, which, in addition to safety concerns, also took noise protection concerns into account," says Wolfgang Rupp, spokesman for the government of Upper Bavaria, to which the aviation authority belongs .

"No changes have been made to these approach and departure areas since then, not even with regard to the nearby Pömetsried gliding area."

Default Corridors

The ADAC air rescue service emphasizes that "Christoph Murnau" has "never flown from the north and over residential buildings" to his landing site at the air rescue station in Murnau since September 2021.

"The crew meticulously adheres to the published and approved arrival and departure corridors, precisely in order to keep the noise pollution for the population as low as possible," says spokesman Jochen Oesterle.

The colleagues from the surrounding ADAC air rescue stations in Munich and Augsburg are also aware of these requirements and strictly adhere to them.

According to Oesterle, the accident clinic is flown to "by numerous external helicopters".

"We also occasionally observe that external helicopters from Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein,

Italy and other countries do not always stick to the designated corridors and sometimes fly over the municipality of Murnau.

After these helicopters have landed, we try to politely point out the specified approach and departure routes to our colleagues.”

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Government spokesman Rupp says: "The approach and departure areas should generally be adhered to by the pilots of the rescue helicopters." Nevertheless, there could be deviations such as approaches or departures from or to the north or west, which is not legally objectionable.

"The respective pilot or the medical team can decide on their own responsibility, depending on external factors such as the weather (wind direction, temperature, air pressure, visibility) or the health situation of the patient, whether a deviation from the specified flight routes is necessary." In individual cases, concerns about safety or the life and health of the patient must be given priority over aspects of noise protection.

According to government spokesman Rupp, the official information required for flight operations on the respective airfield - and thus also on the approach and departure areas - is published in the publications relevant to aviation and can therefore be viewed and is binding for every pilot.

"From talks with air rescue providers, the South Bavarian Air Authority knows that the pilots are aware of the issue of aircraft noise and - subject to the above-mentioned deviations to protect the life and health of patients - always strive to carry out flights with as few emissions as possible."

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Flights possible at any time of the day or night

Helicopters are also supposed to fly more until midnight.

This is allowed.

According to Rupp, so-called emergency rescue flights may take place at the Murnau special heliport any day at any time of the day or night.

This category includes all flights for the primary care and transport of an emergency patient, all urgent, non-dispatchable transfer flights between hospitals, and all flights for the urgent transport of a transplant, a transplant team, medicines and blood products.

"Time restrictions are not compatible with the idea of ​​emergency rescue," emphasizes Rupp.

"On the other hand, planned transfer flights may only be carried out on working days between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. local time."

Air rescue missions have remained almost constant over the years.

In 2018 there were 1415, which corresponds to an average of 3.88 missions per day.

In 2019 there were 1319 missions.

In 2020 (1140) there were fewer, as was last year (1138).

However, Mayer points out that the effects of the lockdowns resulting from the corona pandemic must be taken into account.

“Many people were working from home and the number of accidents on the way was declining.

Leisure and excursion accidents also fell.”

The helicopter is alerted by the Oberland Integrated Control Center (ILS) and the Coordination Center for Intensive Care Transport Helicopters (KITH) in Munich.

Also interesting:

"Christoph Murnau" uses significantly more winches