Czech Helicopters train Search and Rescue skills in the Pyrenees
After taking part in the exercise for the last time in 2023, Czech military helicopter crews returned to the French Pyrenees for Mountain Flight 2026. Over two weeks, a Czech detachment comprising one Mi-17, one Mi-171 and two W-3 Sokol helicopters deployed to the Mountain Flying Centre (Centre de Vol en Montagne – CVM), located at Sainte-Léocadie airfield in the French Pyrenees. Although the Czech Republic has its own mountainous regions, the country offers fewer large and extensive areas suitable for this type of demanding helicopter training. The Pyrenees therefore provide Czech crews with a very suitable environment to develop their mountain flying capabilities, while benefiting from vast mountainous terrain and challenging weather conditions.
Primarily used by French military aircrews, the CVM regularly welcomes foreign military detachments from countries such as Belgium, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. It offers an opportunity to train in an environment whose thermal and aerodynamic characteristics differ significantly from those encountered at home.
However, the main objective of Mountain Flight 2026 was to train for Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in mountainous terrain.
For two weeks, Czech crews conducted SAR missions in the mountains surrounding Sainte-Léocadie airfield, facing the operational challenges associated with locating and reaching people in remote and difficult-to-access areas. Such missions require much more than flying skills. Crews must be able to assess the terrain, identify suitable approaches, manage their aircraft's performance and adapt to rapidly changing atmospheric conditions, all while maintaining effective coordination throughout the mission.
