New kids in town


In the early days of Icelandic Coast Guard rotorcraft operations, six helicopters were written off or damaged due to accidents. Over the years, accident rates decreased due to fleet modernization. “Our first helicopters, such as the Bell 47J and Sikorsky S-62, were older in design and suffered from lack of power,” Lárusson said. “With the introduction of more capable helicopters, safety and capability increased. The Eurocopter SA365N Dauphin was our first multi-engine helicopter suitable for both visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR). The Aérospatiale AS332 L1 Super Puma was also equipped with a 4-axis autopilot, fully capable of a de- and anti-icing


system and dual hoist. Later, the Super Puma became the type on which we first flew with night vision goggles (NVGs).”


Flight safety, capability and safety took an even bigger leap with the arrival of the first Airbus H225 in April 2019. The three H225s, which feature automatic flight control systems (AFCS), replaced the three AS332 L1 Super Pumas. The H225s are leased via Knut Axel Ugland Holding AS of Norway. The fleet is equipped with a TrakkaBeam A800 searchlight, WESCAM MX-15 multi-sensor, multi-spectral imaging system and double hoist. The third H225 was delivered to the ICG in May 2021. The ICG named the aircraft after the Norse gods Gná, Gróa and Eir.


Lárusson: “We have six crews – each consisting of a commander, copilot, rescue man with EMT-A, hoist operator with EMT-B, and sometimes a flight physician from the state hospital.”


58 July/Aug 2024


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