Medicopter 117

Medicopter 117 Season 2 DVD box.

TV Series (1998-2006)

Starring:
Manfred Stücklschwaiger (Thomas Wächter)
Serge Falck (Peter Berger)
Rainer Grenkowitz (Dr. Michael Lüdwitz)
Sabine Petzl (Biggi Schwerin)

Medicopter 117 is a television series about two teams of rescuers flying with a helicopter. Every episode has one or two rescue operations. It has a high count of spectacular stunts. Many of them are performed by the actors themselves.

MBB/Kawasaki BK 117-B2

Appears in various episodes.

The so-called "Medicopter 117" is the star of this series. D-HECE is the designation it also has in real life. Other designations visible throughout the series are D-HEOE and D-HEGE (both fake). In real life it is now used since 2011 as an offshore-rescue helicopter for the German company DL Helicopters. Between filming it was operated by DRF (Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht) and then later called I-HECE for operations in Italy. It became also famous for being used in the 2002 European floods. Registration D-HECE, c/n 7244.

Reg.D-HECE MBB/Kawasaki BK 117-B2 of the Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht.

Reg.D-HECE MBB/Kawasaki BK 117-B2 of the Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht.

Episode 1.09

After hitting an illegal built cable car for material Transport, the Medicopter crashes on a steep slope. They used a real helicopter in original size but it is unknown which Registration it had. Maybe it was an Eurocopter prototype without Registration.

This Scene became famous for being the most expensive Minute on this Television series and possibly the most expensive Minute for a german Television series.

Medicopter 117 shortly before the Crash

Medicopter 117 hitting the cable

Original size helicopter but not D-HECE

Season 1

Robin DR400-180R

Episode 1.05
A pilot tried to commit suicide by crashing into a mountain. In last moment he changes his mind but the plane has run out of fuel and crashes into another mountain. The Pilot managed to jump out, fell into a forest and survived. Co-Pilot also jumped out, but missed the trees and fell onto a grade. Luckily he survived too. D-EDOF is a real designation. This plane is a Robin DR-400 owned in real life by Flugsportgruppe Neustadt a. d. Aisch e.V.

Reg.D-EDOF Robin DR400-180R.

The instruments show it has zero fuel. Story says it was just low on fuel.

D-EDOF seconds before the crash. Notice that it has no landing gear.

Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil

Episode 1.05
Chases the suicide pilot in the Robin. A psychology therapist onboard tries to convince the pilot to land the plane safely. Registration OE-XKP c/n 3295

Designations are painted over

Designations are painted over

Episode 1.07

It is the same helicopter again. This time it has fake Police/Military Registration. There are no 3-letter designations in Germany. They used Archive footage from Episode 1.05 causing a continuity error as the helicopter changes registration between shots. Registration OE-XKP c/n 3295

D-HELC is not a Police Registration

Aérospatiale SA 316B Alouette III

Episode 1.08

This helicopter is called a civillian freighter by characters but it has "Notarzt" (Emergency physician) writing on it. After Medicopter Pilot Thomas Wächter is poisened by a snake Biggi Schwerin and Dr. Gabriele Kollmann chase the Medicopter which is flown by Ralf Staller who has taken over the steering. They use this helicopter so Biggi can teach Ralf over Radio how to land the Medicopter.

This Episode first aired on 2 March 1998 but the real OE-XTT crashed on 17 November 1997. After the helicopter lost power of engine it crashed in Ellmautal, Austria. The Pilot Johan Knaus, owner of Heli Austria GmbH, was killed and one passenger, his Son, suffered serious injuries. It was owned by Heli Austria GmbH which had also this paint sheme used in that episode. Ironically (or the Story was used for an Episode deliberately) the cause of the Crash was the same which was the cause of the Medicopter Crash in Episode 1.09. In both cases the Pilot hit a cable car for material Transport.

There is a continuity error again. It changes Country of Registration from Austria to Germany. In some shots ist clearly visible that it has two different registrations.

Registration OE-XTT, c/n 1702 (crashed in November 1997)

Fake Registration as it is OE-XTT

Season 2

Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil

Episode 2.02

Another Eurocopter was used in a hostage crisis inside a Hospital. This is not a real Registration and not a Police paint sheme.

D-HEEH is fake registration

D-HEEH is fake registration

Mil Mi-8

Episode 2.07 "Knockout"

Seen in Background at the Medicopter base. Tail rotor is on the right side visible in Episode 2.11 making it a Mi-8.

Episode 2.09 "Gejagt"

Same Helicopter seen again as Peter Berger moves in to live inside.

Season 3

Eurocopter AS350 Ecureuil

Episode 3.07 and 3.08

Registration D-HHBP c/n 1973
A group of corrupt cops use this helicopter to chase Ralf Staller and Julia Neuhaus (a Callgirl). Character confirms its an Ecureuil AS350. D-HHBP is currently in use by Helicopter Travel Munich.

D-HHBP of Helicopter Travel Munich

D-HHBP of Helicopter Travel Munich

Unidentified Aircraft

Episode 3.08

A man with an important hard disk is chased by corrupt cops. They shoot his plane down.

Cessna T303 Crusader

Episode 3.08

Registration D-IGPS c/n T303-00308
D-IGPS is currently in use by Terra Bildmessdienst in Austria.

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See also

• Medicopter 117 at IMDb
• Medicopter 117 at Wikipedia
• Medicopter 117 at IMCDb