Therefore the whole team today is extremely pleased to have received EN ISO 13485:2016 from the Notified Body SQS. This will enable Bucher Leichtbau to develop new medical devices for use in the field of air rescue and, if necessary, to certify them.
“We are now able to approve our products efficiently and with the accustomed reliability at a European or even worldwide level. Due to our experience we were able to bring our processes up to the standard of EN ISO 13485:2016 in very short period of time which proves a high level of professionalism. This enables us to even better meet customer requirements and to continue to ensure patient safety,” says Beat Burlet, CEO of Bucher Leichtbau AG.
DRF Luftrettung continues to rely on Bucher Leichtbau for the interior fittings of its new helicopters. The signed agreement between the two organisations comprises of 15 AC70 kits for the H145 and up to 5 AC67 kits for the H135, which were developed with the input of DRF Luftrettung’s and Bucher Leichtbau’s extensive practical experience and technical know-how. The new “heart” of the established interior fittings is the stretcher. This new system for carrying patients was extensively tested for over a year at two of DRF Luftrettung’s HEMS bases before the start of series production, and meets all the requirements of the HEMS crew today.
“For many years now, we have relied on Bucher Leichtbau’s HEMS equipment, which meets our high quality standards. Thanks to our close collaboration, we were able to incorporate our practical experi-ence directly into the development process at Bucher Leichtbau. The equipment’s modularity offers us the advantage that it can be adapted to different mission profiles, such as winch rescue or special inten-sive care transport,” explains Dr. Krystian Pracz, CEO of DRF Luftrettung.
Adapted to the requirements of crews and patients
The new carrying system boasts innovative features which relieve the crews and benefit the patient. For instance, the stretcher is optimised for the transfer processes. If a patient has to be transferred to an ambulance stretcher on the way between helicopter and hospital, for example, this operation will be even gentler and safer in the future. The pressure on the crew is reduced, as medical devices can also be safely carried along. Furthermore, the newly developed head of the helicopter stretcher allows power-assisted adjustment and thus even better patient care. Last but not least, the entire stretcher ensures even greater user safety – particularly during the helicopters’ take-off and landing phases and also during missions with patients on the ground.
The stretcher was initially developed for helicopter type H135 and then modified for type H145 (on wheel drive system). Thanks to this standardisation, crews only need to adjust to one system for differ-ent helicopter models. It was possible to maintain the stretcher’s load-carrying capacity of up to 250 kg in the modification for helicopter type H145.
In the future: Independent installation
As the first user, DRF Luftrettung has already introduced the stretchers at several HEMS bases: The new configurations are already in service in Halle (H135/H145), Friedrichshafen (H135) and Freiburg (H145). From now on, all new helicopters will be equipped to accommodate the new HEMS kits. In the future, DRF Luftrettung plans to independently install the HEMS kits in its helicopters at its hangar at the Operation Centre located at the Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden airport, and will also be able to offer this ser-vice to external customers. The necessary training courses by Bucher Leichtbau for the engineers of DRF Luftrettung are currently being planned.
“We are very pleased that our offer has been so well received and that we can continue our successful collaboration with DRF Luftrettung. Having such an experienced air rescue organisation by our side means great added value for us,” emphasises Beat Burlet, CEO of Bucher Leichtbau.
Customized products based on a high-quality standard, are the results of close and fruitful cooperation between the Bucher and Garuda Indonesia team.
The focus was on the arrangement of the inserts, including large 48-meal-ovens while optimizing work table space for the crew.
Commenting on the news, Beat Burlet, CEO of Bucher Group:
“I am delighted that Bucher had been selected to supply galleys and stowages to Garuda’s state-of-the-art fleet of 14 A330neo aircraft. The news is a testament to the quality products and service that Bucher is renowned for, and marks the start of our working relationship together. We are excited to see the finished product take to the skies.”
Quality is a key factor at Bucher. This can be attributed to the founder of the company, Heinrich Bucher, who was driven by the idea of producing lightweight and reliable galleys made out of aluminum. Bucher has continued to refine and optimize this unique lightweight construction concept. However, Bucher nowadays also offers composite and carbon fiber solutions, so the company remains flexible and can adapt its products to meet individual customer requirements.
To stay ahead of current market trends, our recent efforts have been focused on the next generation galley. Digital communication between on-board personnel, more efficient and cost-effective processes as well as transparency during daily work on-board are some of the many advantages Bucher is currently designing. Among other things, food waste can be reduced by providing accurate meal consumption figures through data analysis. This in turn leads to cost savings for the airline.
In order to promote the on-board sales of duty-free articles, we are presenting a completely new exhibition opportunity for on-board assortments in the form of a galley shopping window. In addition to the duty-free brochure, this platform will enhance the purchasing process and in turn increase the sales of exhibited products. Furthermore, our inventory management system will reliably record the entrances and exits of all sales items using a sophisticated EPS system. At the push of a button, sales and inventory reports can be evaluated in real time.
As a pioneer in lightweight construction, Bucher is also breaking new ground. Bucher has developed an ultra-light bionic partition, which supports the cabin crew in their tasks and provides extra protection in an emergency situation. The multifunctional partition is the first of four types to pass through the rigorous qualification and certification program and in the future will be installed by Airbus in the rear of A320 aircraft.
This year we were able to hand over the 1’000th airline stretcher to one of our satisfied customers. To celebrate this milestone, our specialists will be conducting live demonstrations of stretcher assembly and disassembly: the stretcher can be installed in 8 – 10 minutes without the need for tools. The height can be adjusted to fit neatly and safely in a wide range of aircraft seating and pitch dimensions. In its most common configuration, the installation of the stretcher requires the blocking of only three rows of seats.
At one of most interactive AIX exhibits, Bucher visitors will be able to appreciate our expertise in designing and building high-end cabin and seat mechanisms such as Tray Table Deployment Systems or Tablet Holder Solutions. The half-size ARCTICart, a thermally insulated ATLAS inflight service cart able to maintain food safely chilled for more than 20 hours without dry-ice or air chillers, will be presented to the public for the first time.
These are just a few of the many new products which we have in store for you. We listen to your wishes and challenges and respond with answers. Drop in and see for yourself all of these exciting innovations and new products at our booth. The entire team at the Bucher Group looks forward to welcoming you to AIX 2019!
AIX 2019, Hamburg, April 2-4, Hall 5, Booth 5D60.
