Air Zermatt is known worlwide for its high altitude rescues. Its activity started in the beginning of April 1968 when it purchased from Agusta the brand new Agusta-Bell 206A Jet Ranger registered HB-XCL.
The famous alpine resort of Zermatt with its outstanding natural beauty attract people from all the world. There are in fact 29 mountains more than 4'000 meters high, including the Matterhorn (4'478 meters), one of the world most famous mountain. 
Unfortunately skiers, mountaineers, and walkers were (and are still) often victims of accidents. This required their immediate transport to the hospital. However sometimes their rescue was be very difficult especially in winter, because the resort was isolated from the down valley. Until the creation of Air Zermatt the nearest helicopters were based in Sion. Because of the weather condition it could also happen that it was not possible to fly from Sion to Zermatt. 
In fact it can happen that in Zermatt the sun is shining, while Sion is covered with fog. For these reasons a group of people leaded by Beat Perren decided to invest money and set up a new helicopter company. At the beginning the idea to create a helicopter base in Zermatt was not accepted by a large part of the people. Hoteliers and residents were evidently preoccupied by the noise generated by the presence of an heliport. For this reason before the construction of the actual base, which as been erected on a rock promontory on the north of the village, the helicopter was temporary based in Täsch, a small village close to Zermatt.
Few days after its arrival to Switzerland the Jet Ranger piloted by the German pilot Günther Amann was called on duty to rescue an injured child. Contemporary it started its commercial activity doing supply flights in the mountains surrounding Zermatt. 
Since then Air Zermatt has developed constantly troughout the years. In 1969 a second helicopter was purchased. It was the SA 3160 Alouette III registered HB-XDA which did countless SAR missions. Using the Alouette III pilots such as, for example, Gunther Amann and Siegfried Stangier demonstrated for the first time that the helicopter was capable of missions until that moment considered impossible.
As first in Switzerland in the spring of 1971 Air Zermatt purchased the first Swiss SA 315B Lama registered HB-XDI, followed few months later by the HB-XDL. With this helicopter Günther Amann on 12^th of September 1971 rescued two German alpinist in serious difficulty on the famous Eiger north wall. For this mission the pilot received the «Salute to excellence - Robert E. Trimble memorial award». This American distinction (assigned to crews or individuals) has recognized some of the most dramatic displays of courage and heroism involving the use of an helicopter.
Over the years Air Zermatt developed a series of special equipments for its various missions. It is here to mention for example a model of bucket for fire fighting operations, a platform for the rescue of cableway passengers, the long-line, etc. In the course of the years the company apart the helicopters already mentioned used for example the SA 341J Gazelle, the SE 313B Alouette II, or larger machines such as the SA 330J Puma or the Bell 412.
Air Zermatt have another base in Raron where it proceed to the major maintenance and revision works. Actually the helicopter fleet is composed by AS 350 Squirrell, SA 315B Lama, and one EC-135 used almost exclusively for SAR missions.
Air Zermatt's managers say: "We want to be there for you in good and bad times!". That is why they continue to consistently pursuit the efforts and goals they have set in 1968. Around 1'000-1'200 emergency calls are incoming every year.

HAB 01/2009