Operational 12 hours a day: from 9 to 21. From Thursday 29 September this will be the new timetable for the Suem 118 “Falco” helicopter rescue service for the Hems base in Pieve di Cadore “Angelo Costola”.
After the necessary training period for the crews, therefore, Falco is now ready to take off even after the ephemeris, with an extension of the activity in the evening hours. Currently, in fact, due to visibility conditions, in the winter period, when the hours of light are reduced, the operation of the helicopter rescue ends between 16.30-17.30. From Thursday, however – thanks to modern technologies and the training of some of the staff – operations will be extended to 9 pm every day.
In fact, part of the crew at the Pieve Base is now in possession of the required qualifications for flying with night vision goggles and the helicopter currently used is certified for such operations in the dark hours. In the province of Belluno, the currently certified landings for night flights are 45, widely scattered throughout the territory.