04.10.2004
Emergency helicopter services to be stationed at Roskilde Airport

Roskilde Airport is now base for one of the emergency helicopters operated by the Danish Air Force under the search and rescue (SAR) service in eastern Denmark, which was relocated from Air Force Base Værløse to Roskilde Airport effective 1 October. The service now operates under the name of SAR-Roskilde.

As a result of the national defence policy adopted in 1999, the Danish Air Force is currently in the process of closing down its air base at Værløse. Since ILS facilities are no longer available at Værløse Airport aircraft may not operate into the airport during IFR (instrument flight rules) conditions. At Roskilde, the service will have the same high level of emergency preparedness and operations as it did at Værløse, according to Tactical Air Command Denmark.

Squadron 722 is the Danish Air Force’s rescue squadron. The country’s operational rescue squadron since 1957; the 722 was originally based at Værløse. This past January, the squadron’s eight S-61 Sikorsky helicopters were reassigned to Karup, the squadron’s new headquarters. Emergency service helicopters are permanently stationed at Aalborg and Skrydstrup, and now also at Roskilde. If weather conditions in the Baltic are poor, emergency operations can also be deployed temporarily from Rønne on the island of Bornholm.