Transport Minister Georgi Gvozdeikov responded to the claims that the first medical helicopter that arrived in Bulgaria at the beginning of the month will not be able to be used for mountain rescue, as the reason for this is the lack of a key winch. On this occasion, he shared the following post on Facebook:
“For the winch, populist suggestions, outright manipulations, nonsense and lies:
Despite the winch suggestions, Bulgaria will receive three winch-equipped helicopters for mountain rescue, the first of which will arrive in June this year, and are fully sufficient to cover the mountainous terrain of the country!
The main philosophy on which aviation is built is to maintain a high level of safety! To achieve this goal, strict rules, regulations and procedures are applied and followed.
It’s the same with the winch!
And since it is about uncompromising compliance with regulations and procedures, I will briefly explain the specifics:
Here are some of the new amendments to Regulation (EU) 965/2012 introduced for implementation by Regulation (EU) 2023/1020, which enter into force on May 25, 2024:
Helicopter emergency rescue operations of a non-medical nature, which include mountain rescue operations, are equally risky when conducted under the same conditions as helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS). Therefore, where non-medical emergency rescue helicopter operations fall within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, they should be regulated in the same way as HEMS operations.
Precisely because of this, all these activities performed by the aviation operator are subject to approval and certification by the national supervisory authority.
Emergency medical helicopter operations with suspended external load:
(a) HEMS HEC operations may be performed with one of the following:
(1) a helicopter hoist (winch), subject to the conditions prescribed in Subpart I (Operation of a helicopter hoist);
The aviation operator Bulgaria Heli Med Service will first be licensed for HEMS operations and then for HEC operations (Emergency Medical Helicopter Operations with Suspended External Load) because those are the rules.
So much for winch and wild populism!”
