In March 1985, Ueli Bärfuss and Leo Caminada founded HeliBernina AG. They started operating on June 1st in 1985 with one helicopter and two employees. Shortly after this, the team doubled in size and in their first year they carried 4,500 tonnes of material to various mountain construction sites.
The brand adopts the colour yellow
In 1990, HeliBernina moved into its own hangar. It was set to be a record year. The turnover doubled thanks to the storm front 'Vivian', which resulted in countless logging jobs. The colour yellow became the brand’s colour. In 1991, the Ecureuil B2, HB-XXL was purchased and proudly sported the new colours.
Major projects and loyal retail customers
The company celebrated its 10th anniversary in 1995. It was an occasion to look back with satisfaction at our many successful projects, including the small Val Champagna power plant, the various film projects, and the major construction site at Lago Palü in the Poschiavo Valley. Once again, our loyal retail customers contributed the most to our positive annual returns.
Forest fires and winter avalanches
The summers were often marked by forest fires in the Poschiavo Valley, Val Bregaglia, Misox and the areas above Bever. HeliBernina was significantly involved in helping to extinguish the fires. The winter avalanche of 1999 went down in history. For weeks, all HeliBernina helicopters were in use for evacuations, reconnaissance and avalanche triggering flights.
In the year 2000, founder Ueli Bärfuss retired. Despite the company reaching the 20,000 flying hours mark, this was the worst year in its history. During a landing in the mountains, one of the helicopters tilted onto its side. Ueli Stocker, our pilot, chief mechanic and dedicated member of staff from the very outset, lost his life in the tragedy.
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in St. Moritz
The winter of 2003 is considered to be one of the best years in the company's history. The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships were held in St. Moritz, and 14 Helicopters of Heli Bernina and its partners were in use throughout the two-week event.
Engagements at home and abroad
2004 saw the completion of the 10-year project to develop and install a high-voltage power line from the Poschiavo Valley over the Bernina pass and into the Engadine Valley. During the following years, HeliBernina assisted with the execution of construction projects as well as avalanche safety measures and clean-up operations in the region. During the years 2011-2014, HeliBernina took part in several extraordinary support missions in the field of public security in Greece, Macedonia and Albania.
Perfect weather conditions, interesting contracts for high alpine construction sites, notably for a new cable car and chairlift, numerous loggingjobs and very demanding aerial work in special forestry missions, protection measures in the mountains and a renovation project of the Albigna dam characterized the anniversary year 2015.
Wochenlanger Hilfseinsatz nach Felssturz im Bergell
Am 23. August 2017 ereignete sich am Pizzo Cengalo ein Felssturz mit verheerenden Folgen für das gesamte Bergell. Bis weit in den Herbst hinein erlebten wir den wohl längsten und intensivsten Einsatz sowie die herausforderndste Arbeitszeitspanne unserer Unternehmensgeschichte. Über mehrere Wochen durften wir unter grossem persönlichem Einsatz aller Mitarbeitenden bei der Bewältigung des Felssturzereignisses im Val Bondasca mithelfen.
Gebirgsbaustellen, Sturmtief "Vaia" und Corona
Die Jahre 2019 und 2020 könnten gegensätzlicher nicht sein! Im Jahre 2019 lief vieles anders als in einem gewöhnlichen Jahr. Der Wirbelsturm „Vaia“, welcher im Oktober 2018 quer durch unser Einsatz- und Auftragsgebiet fegte, bescherte uns überaus viel Arbeit. Ab Ende der Wintermonate bis zum Wintereinbruch im November durften wir - oftmals mit bis zu drei Maschinen - im Auftrag der Gemeindeforstämter und Forstunternehmer - Holzräumungsarbeiten aus den zum Teil stark beschädigten Wäldern ausführen. Hinzu kam ein interessanter und anspruchsvoller Transporteinsatz für den Wiederaufbau der durch „Vaia“ teilweise zerstörten Hochspannungsleitung über den Albulapass.
In toller Zusammenarbeit mit den Projektverantwortlichen sowie den beteiligten Arbeitern, durften wir uns massgeblich am Hütten Um- und Ausbau- der Chamanna d'Es-cha (SAC Sektion Bernina) im Gebiet des Piz Kesch beteiligen. Das Jahr 2019 geht als Rekordjahr in die Geschichte der HeliBernina ein!
Gegenteilig verliefen die Corona-Jahre 2020 und 2021. Der zeitweilige Arbeitseinbruch führte zu einer grossen Herausforderung sowohl für die Betriebsleitung wie auch für die Mitarbeitenden aller Bereiche. (Einsatzleitung, Flugbetrieb und Technik)
Die Mitarbeit und das Mittragen aller Angestellten verdient ein überaus grosses und herzliches DANKESCHÖN!
Passion for helicopter flights
Today, thanks to their large and loyal clientele, HeliBernina is firmly anchored in the region. Their varied activities and services are focused in the public domain, in line with their original vision. Although legislation has changed greatly over the years, the passion for helicopter flying still remains as strong as it was in 1985.
