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Heli Austria – Fertigung

Helicopter services, air rescue and pilot training from bases in Austria and Italy

Heli Austria Logo

Heli Austria GmbH

St. Johann im Pongau · Karres · Meran (IT) · Kottingbrunn · SalzburgNew on Amplifa

1982Founded (as Knaus Helicopter GmbH)
42Helicopters in the fleet (as of 2022)
4,000+Air rescue missions per year
7Rescue bases of Martin Flugrettung

About Heli Austria

Heli Austria GmbH, based at the Heliport in St. Johann im Pongau (Salzburg), is an Austrian air transport company that has existed since 1982 as Knaus Helicopter GmbH and is today led by Roy Knaus. Its service portfolio includes construction flights, film and photo flights, VIP and taxi flights, mountain hut supply, avalanche blasting, heavy-load transport, inspection flights, logging, animal rescue, firefighting and sightseeing flights. Through Martin Flugrettung, the company operates seven year-round rescue bases in Salzburg, Tyrol and Upper Austria with more than 4,000 missions per year. Operations extend across all of Austria and neighbouring countries; beyond the branch in Meran (Italy) and missions in Greece, Turkey and Iceland, the group is active internationally. Pilot training is provided by Heli Austria Flight Academy GmbH with locations at Bad Vöslau airfield (Kottingbrunn) and in Salzburg.

Site
St. Johann im Pongau
Processes
Construction flights, Film and photo flights, VIP and taxi flights, Mountain hut supply, Avalanche blasting, Heavy-load transport, Inspection flights, Logging
Materials
Helicopter Fleet, H145 – Task Specialist
Certificates
Air operator certificate (Austro Control)
Founded
1982
Industries
Aviation/Helicopter services, Air rescue, Training
  1. 01

    Enquiry and mission planning

  2. 02

    Flight operations with helicopter fleet

  3. 03

    Special services (load transport, firefighting, avalanche blasting)

  4. 04

    Air rescue via Martin bases

  5. 05

    Pilot training (Flight Academy)

Service Portfolio

HUBSCHRAUBER

Helicopter Fleet

Fleet matured over more than 35 years, including Hughes, Alouette III, Lama SA 315B, Bell 407, AB 212, AS 350 B3, AS 355, MD Explorer and Super Puma

H145

H145 – Task Specialist

In service with Martin Flugrettung for emergency doctor flights

Locations

St. Johann im Pongau

AT

Headquarters and Heliport

  • Heliport
  • Emergency medical helicopters Martin 1 and Martin 10

Karres

AT

Heli Tirol GmbH / Heliport

  • Own heliport (completed in 2003)
  • Emergency medical helicopter Martin 2

Meran

IT

Branch Heli Italy

Kottingbrunn

AT

Flight Academy – Bad Vöslau Airfield

  • Flight school PPL(H), CPL(H), Flight Instructor, ATPL(H) theory, NVFR, Type Rating

Salzburg

AT

Flight Academy location

Areas of Operation

Heliport St. Johann im Pongau – air rescue base
Heliport St. Johann im Pongau – air rescue baseAir rescue · Aviation
Helicopter taxi flight
Helicopter taxi flightVIP and taxi flights · Aviation
Super Puma on wildfire mission
Super Puma on wildfire missionFirefighting · Aviation

Inside the production

Base St. Johann im Pongau
Base St. Johann im Pongau
Super Puma
Super Puma
Johann Knaus
Johann Knaus

Industries

Aviation/Helicopter servicesAir rescueTraining

Additional services

Construction flightsFilm and photo flightsVIP and taxi flightsMountain hut supplyAvalanche blastingHeavy-load transportInspection flightsLoggingAnimal rescueFirefightingSightseeing flightsHeli skiing in IcelandAir rescue (Martin Flugrettung)Pilot training (Flight Academy: PPL(H), CPL(H), Flight Instructor, ATPL(H) theory, NVFR, TypeOnline shop (merchandise)

Reference customers

WWF Turkey (request for wildfire firefighting 2021, according to Wikipedia)

Operating Licences

Flight operations are conducted as an air transport company under Austrian supervision (District Authority St. Johann im Pongau); pilot training follows ICAO requirements and EASA procedures with language proficiency examinations to Austro-Control standards.

EvidenceSt. Johann im Pongau
Air operator certificate (Austro Control)

History

  1. 1982

    Founding of Knaus Helicopter GmbH (or predecessor Ritter trade & Aviation Consulting)

  2. 1983

    Johann Knaus flies Pope John Paul II across Austria ('Pope's pilot')

  3. 1984

    Start of flight operations with Hughes 530F under licence from Niki Lauda

  4. 1985

    First own helicopter (Hughes 500D, OE-KXO)

  5. 1991

    Entry into the higher weight class with Alouette III

  6. 1992

    100% private ownership by the Knaus family; start of rescue helicopter operations according to Wikipedia

  7. 1995

    Roy Knaus acquires 76% of Knaus Helicopter GmbH

  8. 1997

    Johann Knaus dies in a crash in the Ellmautal; Roy Knaus becomes sole owner

  9. 1998

    Expansion: purchase of Lama SA 315B, Bell 407, AB 212

  10. 2000

    Entry into air rescue; emergency medical helicopter at the St. Johann/Pg. heliport

  11. 2001

    Company headquarters relocated to the St. Johann/Pg. heliport; purchase of AS 350 B3

  12. 2002

    Rescue flight operations commenced in Karres near Imst

  13. 2003

    Own heliport in Karres/Imst completed

  14. 2004

    Additional rescue bases (Martin 6 Saalbach/Hinterglemm, Martin 3)

  15. 2007

    Insolvency petition according to Wikipedia; composition proceedings and continuation as Heli Austria GmbH

  16. 2008

    Heli Austria GmbH since April 2008; Heli Tirol GmbH since June 2008 (according to Wikipedia)

  17. 2016

    Branch in Meran (Italy) opened; wildfire firefighting in Sardinia with AS332

  18. 2019

    Engagement in Greece announced with four helicopters

  19. 2021

    Wildfire mission near Antalya/Belek (Turkey) with Super Puma and 4,000-litre water tank, requested by WWF Turkey

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