Rescue in all weathers | Swiss Air-Rescue Rega

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In order to provide even more patients with airborne medical assistance regardless of the weather conditions, Rega – together with its partners – is continuously expanding its Low Flight Network (LFN): a network comprising satellite-aided flight routes that links airfields, Rega bases and hospitals.

Infographic "Low Flight Network approach route": Comparison between visual flight rules (VFR, red dotted) and instrument flight rules (IFR/LFN, green). In fog, visual flight is interrupted, while the Rega helicopter uses satellite navigation and autopilot to fly precisely through fog to the hospital and mission site.

Using satellite-aided navigation, the Rega crews can use the instruments in the helicopter cockpit to fly predefined routes precisely. Thanks to this technology, the Rega crews are ready for action when the visibility conditions are no longer adequate for a conventional visual flight.

This can happen in winter, for example, when there is dense high fog: With the LFN, the Rega helicopters can fly safely through the clouds in order to provide patients above or below the fog cover with medical care as quickly as possible and to transport them.

On 27 July, Rega used satellite-aided navigation for the first time to fly to Bern's Inselspital in poor visibility.

The first two routes in the Low Flight Network are officially approved for daytime operation in December 2016.

On 23 December, the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) grants Rega an exceptional permit to use important hubs in the LFN round the clock.

With the adoption of the Dittli motion in parliament, the LFN is given the status of a critical national aviation infrastructure that is operated and expanded on behalf of the Confederation. The Confederation thus takes on the task of creating the legal framework conditions and ensuring the financing.

On 18 July, Rega is the world’s first helicopter operator to be granted permission to use an innovative, high-precision approach flight procedure to a hospital.

The establishment, the many years of development and the technological further development of the LFN were made possible largely thanks to the contributions of Rega patrons. Without this support from the population, such innovation leaps would not be possible in Swiss air rescue.

One example of this pioneering work can be seen in the hospital in Interlaken: On 18 July 2024, Rega was granted permission to use a so-called RNP-AR (Required Navigation Performance Authorisation Required) procedure there. This milestone was achieved thanks to the close cooperation between Rega, FOCA, the procedure designers and the helicopter manufacturer Leonardo.

This graphic shows how a rescue helicopter navigates through a narrow alpine valley

Together with the modern avionics of the Rega helicopters, this procedure navigates much more precisely than previous approach methods.

Yet even this rule has its limits: Extremely bad weather conditions such as ice, dense fog at ground level or strong winds can still make it impossible to fly missions.

A national community project

The Low Flight Network is not an exclusive Rega network but is available to all organisations involved in civilian air rescue and military aviation (provided the pilots have the necessary training, the helicopters are IFR-certified and the relevant operational permit has been granted). Further development of the network is based on the interaction of various partners:

Initiators, developers and main users of the network in daily operations.

Responsible for the safe integration of the routes and flight procedures in Swiss airspace.

Responsible for the official review and approval of new flight procedures.

Since 2021 the client for the strategic expansion and financing of the critical national infrastructure.

Rega is continuously advancing the expansion of the LFN and has prepared a number of new approach and departure routes. However, the planned network expansion has currently come to a standstill, as the formal review and approval procedures at the responsible bodies of Skyguide and FOCA are now taking more time.

In western Switzerland in particular, routes to hospitals have been developed but cannot yet be used by the Rega crews without official authorisation. This means that patients can still not be transported by air in these regions in bad weather. Rega is working intensively to ensure that these procedures can be approved quickly so that a seamless LFN is available throughout Switzerland for the safety of the population.