Aviation End of Service for World Record Rescue Helicopter

After nearly four decades, the yellow era of "Christoph 31" ends in Berlin. The world record helicopter completed almost 90,000 missions—at peak times more than 3,800 alerts per year. And a touch of German history is also embedded in its journey.

It has made German-German history and is considered a world record helicopter after nearly 40 years in the skies over the capital and almost 90,000 missions in and around Berlin: "Christoph 31," the ADAC rescue helicopter stationed at the Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin. On December 31, 2025, the concession for the flying Yellow Angels to operate the air rescue station in Steglitz will come to an end. For this reason, an official farewell ceremony was held in the hangar of "Christoph 31."

Difficult start in times of the Cold War

The launch of the rescue helicopter during the Cold War was anything but easy and was only achieved after tough negotiations with the Allies. "The fact that this launch was possible at the time is thanks to an extraordinary alliance—the Berlin Senate, the Charité, the U.S. city command, and, not least, ADAC Air Rescue," recalls Karsten Schulze, Chairman of the ADAC Foundation Council, of a political feat that laid the foundation for a German-German success story—and made "Christoph 31" itself a part of reunification history.

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By low loader to West Berlin

"By commissioning the first civilian rescue helicopter for Berlin, ADAC Air Rescue demonstrated pioneering spirit in 1987," explained Managing Director Frédéric Bruder at the farewell ceremony. When the crew of the ADAC rescue helicopter began service on October 13, 1987, the Berlin Wall was still standing, the city was still politically divided, and the helicopter was stationed at Tempelhof Airport. The journey to get "Christoph 31" there was adventurous. At the time, the helicopter was transported to West Berlin on a low-loader because DDR airspace could not be flown over. Additionally, the aircraft operated under the U.S. flag until reunification and could only be piloted by Americans.

Eurocopter EC 135 replaces BO105

The airspace of East Berlin and the DDR was opened for "Christoph 31" for the first time on April 1, 1990. In September 1992, it received a German registration: D-HEIM. From that point on, the four black letters of ADAC adorned the aircraft. It was not until 2002 that the helicopter found its new home at today's Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, as this location complied with the aviation regulations at the time. This eliminated the need for transfer and refueling flights to Tempelhof after 15 years, as a new fueling station was also built at the landing site. A few months earlier, a new, modern, and significantly quieter Eurocopter EC 135 had already replaced the old BO105.

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Highest precision in urban operations

At its peak, "Christoph 31" flew more than 3,800 missions annually, making it the rescue helicopter with the most missions worldwide. The demands on Berlin's air rescue teams remain extraordinary even with fewer alarms—often involving landings amidst narrow urban canyons, on busy squares, between high-rises, on the Ku'damm, Alexanderplatz, or directly in front of the Brandenburg Gate. These missions require the utmost precision.

Helicopter flies approximately four kilometers (approx. 2 miles) per minute

For their missions in Berlin (around 90 percent) and Brandenburg (around 10 percent), the crews take off daily between sunrise (no earlier than 7:00 a.m.) and sunset. They fly a state-of-the-art helicopter of the EC135/H135 type, covering approximately four kilometers per minute. Whether for severe internal emergencies, neurological conditions, accidents, pediatric emergencies, or water rescues, the crew consists of pilots and paramedics (TC HEMS) from ADAC Air Rescue as well as emergency physicians from the Charité.

Helicopter type H135 was considered the most advanced in the world in 2020

Over the decades, "Christoph 31" has become an indispensable part of emergency rescue services in Berlin and Brandenburg. For this reason, the station was the first ADAC air rescue station in 2020 to receive the world's most advanced rescue helicopter at the time, the H135, which replaced the previously flown EC 135. After a period of declining mission numbers, the ADAC rescue helicopter, with more than 2,250 alarms this year, is once again what it has been for most of its operational history: the rescue helicopter with the most missions in Germany.

ADAC Air Rescue's concession in Steglitz ends

On December 31, 2025, "Christoph 31" will embark on its final mission as a flying Yellow Angel for the time being. On this day, the concession of the nonprofit ADAC Air Rescue comes to an end—and the operator will change. As of January 1, 2030, the operation of the air rescue station could be reassigned. What is already certain today is that ADAC Air Rescue will definitely participate in the bidding process again.