DRF Luftrettung offers integrated CPL (H) professional helicopter pilot training with ATPL theory.

DRF Luftrettung will conduct the training on a Robinson R44.

No, we do not have arrangements for that.

The requirements for admission to the course are a minimum age of 21 (as of 1 May in the year you begin the course) and a successfully completed government-approved vocational training programme (e.g. a traineeship or apprenticeship) or an undergraduate degree. Preparatory studies or a ‘First State Examination’ (Staatsexamen) do not qualify, unfortunately.

You will need an extract from the registry at the German Federal Office for Motor Traffic (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA) for your application. You will need a Class 1 medical certificate and background check at the time you begin the course, after you have successfully finished at the on-site assessment centre. 

Only government-approved training programmes of at least two years’ duration qualify.

The professional helicopter pilot training teaches you the knowledge and skills needed to perform the role of a professional helicopter pilot, in theory (approx. 3/4) as well as in practice (approx. 1/4).

The course lasts just under two years and aims for participants to obtain a professional helicopter pilot licence. It includes the following learning content:

• Aviation law
• Airframe, systems, engines and electrical equipment
• Instruments
• Mass and centre of gravity
• Flight performance, planning and control
• Human performance
• Meteorology
• General navigation
• Radio navigation
• Operating procedures
• Aerodynamics
• Communication
• Knowledge

In addition to the theoretical and practical course content required by law, additional courses in medicine and maintenance are also included. Course participants deepen their medical and technical knowledge, with 30 hours of training and practical exercises for each.

After graduating from the course, participants can start their career as a professional pilot. Those who then obtain further qualifications and experience (especially the required flight hours) can apply for a job as a pilot at DRF Luftrettung.

Our long-term aim is to recruit our pilots from among the course participants. However, we cannot promise a position with us. 

DRF Luftrettung puts great value on offering high-quality training. In order to cement the content taught and learn it in depth, we believe that a roughly two-year course is appropriate. In addition, this makes it possible for participants to keep their regular job at the same time.

The course fees will come to €123,000. This total amount includes theory lessons as well as flight and simulator hours, landing fees, radio training (BZF II certificate), an additional course in maintenance (Part 147) and another in medicine. Applicants must pay these fees themselves. DRF Luftrettung does not pay for them.

Training to become a (helicopter) pilot is a special experience and involves a lot of a responsibility, so we want to make sure that we are a good fit for each other. The quality and safety of our training is particularly important to us. This is why we have developed an application process with a subsequent stage at an assessment centre.

Applications will be taken exclusively via the online system on our website. The application period for the course starting 2023 closes on Wednesday 30 November 2022.

After we have carried out an initial review of all applications received, we invite the first applicants to an online assessment. After that, approximately 15 applicants are invited to our on-site assessment centre for two days. We make the final selection from among the applicants and give them notice of admission to the pilot course soon after they have finished at our assessment centre. DRF Luftrettung pays for expenses incurred during the assessment centre stage and for accommodation for it. Applicants will only need to pay for travel to the assessment centre.

During the online assessment, we seek to assess your basic capabilities such as coordination, logical thinking and technical understanding.

At the on-site assessment centre afterwards, we ask you to apply theoretical learning content into practice and to respond to stressful situations. We also want to get to know you personally, which is why there is also an in-person interview at the assessment centre.

You do not need to prepare at all for the online assessment. All tasks and topics are explained briefly and can be practised before you do them.

To prepare for the on-site assessment centre, we provide you with learning content that you should work through beforehand. Overall, though, the on-site assessment is less about learning theoretical knowledge and more about your general understanding of all the factors that are relevant to aviation and how you respond to them. The problems that are presented are not based solely on flying. For us, it is mostly about getting to know you better.