What to do when the helicopter arrives?

Published by DHV safety and training.

Interview by Bjoern Klaasen, Briggita Hack

Translated by Eva Keim at Wings & Waves Ltd. with permission from Ben Liebermeister, DHV publication. Our thank you goes to the DHV for the permission to use this article.

Heiko Thurm is a helicopter pilot and aviation safety officer at the Police Aviation Unit in Ober-Schleißheim near Munich, Germany. Among other aircraft, he flies mission with Christoph 14 in Traunstein and Christoph 17 in Kempten. The Alpine geography of southern Germany decisively characterises his assignments. Where rescuers on the ground cannot progress, the helicopter becomes the only means of rescues.

Heiko Thurm flies rescue, recovery, supply, transport and evacuation missions, often when every minute counts. Björn Klaassen and Brigitta Hack spoke with him about his view from the cockpit.

Are you stressed when you are deployed near paragliding and hang gliding sites?

Not necessarily stressed, but more intensive observation of the airspace is required. This can tie up capacity that is actually needed for the emergency operation at hand.

Even the FLARM signal (GPS-based collision warning system) that the helicopter may receive is not 100% helpful, because interpreting the electronic signals in relation to the real conditions outside again uses up capacity required for the rescue. Fortunately, in contrast to sailplanes, paragliders are easier to spot and move more slowly.

We are currently checking whether we can communicate with launch sites, pilots or gondola operators via radio, phone or other means in order to pass on information about rescue missions.

What distances should paraglider pilots generally keep from helicopters in flight?

DHV rules state that the airspace around any emergency location needs to be widely cleared. As a pilot, how would you define a safe distance? For instance, would 1.5 km suffice?

It is difficult to define a concrete distance, as the situation may be dynamic (e.g. during a search flight). Even in a more stationary situation, I consider 1.5 km to be too close. A minimum of 2 km is what I would recommend.

What difficulties arise when paraglider pilots continue to fly in the vicinity of a helicopter on a rescue operation?

During such operations—especially when using a winch in mountainous terrain, but also over forested valleys—the crew’s focus is directed downwards, while the pilot’s focus is on a fixed reference point and must remain there.

Knowing that a paraglider is in the vicinity ties up capacity and creates distraction. We cannot continuously look around, as we must avoid losing our reference point or our focus on maintaining a stable position above the site.

What should a paraglider pilot do when the rescue helicopter has landed and shut down its engine?

At this stage, it may appear that everyone can resume flying. However, the helicopter has only landed in order to:

• care for the patient

• meet with other parties to plan the rescue

• bridge the time until the patient has been treated and prepared for transport

• wait for weather improvement, if necessary

At some point, the helicopter will take off again. Therefore, pilots should continue to stay clear until the mission is definitely completed. Information about when the helicopter will depart may be available to gondola operators or emergency services, but not to free-flying pilots.

What should a paraglider pilot do if they have landed in a tree and need to be rescued?

In general, every paraglider pilot (in alpine areas) should be equipped with a “tree rescue kit”, which should be kept within easy reach.

Recovery by helicopter winch from a tree can be difficult, even with a 90-metre winch line. The downwash may re-inflate the paraglider or reserve and can potentially dislodge the pilot, even if they feel secure in the tree. This can lead to a fall from the top of the tree.

Therefore, rescue from the ground is always the preferred option. Securing the pilot in the tree using appropriate equipment (e.g. a tree rescue kit) is the first and most important measure to prevent a fall.

What should pilots do if a helicopter is trying to land at a launch or landing site?

In accidents near take-off or landing sites, these areas are often the most suitable landing options for a helicopter. If a helicopter is attempting to land—recognisable by circling the site—the area should be cleared immediately and all equipment packed away or secured. Ideally, a clear “YES” signal should be given to the pilot.

Unfortunately, this did not work well in a helicopter rescue in autumn 2025 in Buchenberg (East Allgäu). People at the launch site recognised the helicopter but failed to clear the area. As a result, the emergency doctor had to be winched down below the pilot in the tree, which cost valuable time.

What effects does helicopter downwash have on paragliders and hang gliders?

Downwash (vortex turbulence) can be carried with the wind. This delayed turbulence from an EC135 has already caused a paraglider accident at a coastal site in France. The incident was reconstructed by the BEA (French aviation accident investigation authority) in a video. Link to the film: www.youtube.com/watch? v=iHqN7PQraMs

Even in calm conditions, helicopter downwash can persist for some time and affect a paraglider flying through this air.

What was your most spectacular mission involving a paraglider?

These included collisions of paragliders with cables or cable cars at Tegelberg (Allgäu) in August 2011 and at Hochfelln (Chiemgau) in May 2023.

In both cases, the paragliders—one of them a tandem—became entangled in the cables. Through complex rescue operations, the pilots were recovered largely unharmed.

In the 2011 case, the tandem glider disabled a gondola with 20 occupants, who were stranded overnight for 17 hours. They were rescued the following day by police helicopter using a winch. Around 130 people were flown down from the mountain station.

In 2023, gondola passengers were lowered about 30 metres by mountain rescue. Around 50 people were flown into the valley, and the rescue of the uninjured paraglider pilot took 11 hours, extending into the second night.

Have you ever flown a paraglider yourself?

No, I have not yet flown a paraglider. I plan to do a tandem flight to experience your perspective.

What should pilots do when they realise a rescue operation is underway?

To allow rescue crews to work without disturbance, we ask pilots to:

• stop launching immediately

• clear the launch area when a helicopter approaches

• fly to an area where the operation is definitely not affected

• land at the official landing site if far enough from the operational site

• if in doubt, land elsewhere (if safe)

Can you reach paraglider crash sites in the lee side locations?

In principle, yes. However, it depends on factors such as wind strength (and the resulting lee effects), temperature, and helicopter load. Each situation is assessed individually by the pilot in coordination with the crew and other emergency services.

Do you have any further comments?

Yes, two points regarding overall flight safety are particularly important to me:

• There have been reports of paraglider pilots flying in or near cloud close to rescue sites. In some cases, helicopters had to land below cloud base, and paragliders suddenly emerged from the cloud. This presents a serious collision risk.

• We have also received reports of flights at dusk, dawn, and even under full moon conditions. Reduced visibility significantly increases the risk for all involved.

Under German aviation (and NZ!) rules (VFR), night flying is not permitted—including for paragliders.