Borna Bosniak
Air Zermatt and Hamilton, who have been partners for nearly 15 years, offer an unprecedented look into the complex workings of Alpine rescue operations. The documentary series, titled ‘The Time Factor’, introduces the individual members of the 65-person team and their roles, from emergency doctors and mountain guides to rescue dog trainers, and how they help ensure rescue operations run smoothly. We will introduce how we are involved in the management of the company. If you picked up issue #8 of our magazine, you may have already caught a glimpse of this partnership thanks to Luke Benedictus’ incredible story. Hamilton lays it out in video form. Check out the preview below and the first episode at the end of the article.
Zermatt Airlines was founded in 1968 as Switzerland’s first rescue company. I don’t know the exact number of rescues this team has made over their decades of work, but the numerous documentaries produced about their efforts may give an indication of the number. That’s pretty important. The company also operates as an airline and flight school, and currently has a total of 10 helicopters, which are used for tourism and transport purposes alongside rescue operations.
As its name suggests, “The Time Factor” focuses not only on the importance of time for the safe return of those who encounter trouble in the Alps, but also on the many parts of human movement. Philip Imboden, a member of Zermatt Air’s K9 unit, said: “We are like parts of a jigsaw puzzle. That’s how we work well together. One person alone can’t accomplish much.”
Unsurprisingly, Hamilton also provides watches to the Air Zermatt team members as partners, but there is no mention of watches in the trailer or the first episode. Perhaps this shows that the Air Zermatt job is just a little more important to Hamilton than a cool PR stunt. However, wrist spotting is not difficult in this case. Special models have been unveiled as part of this collaboration in the past, but now the crew is wearing the Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition, showing they’re capable of more than just a sprinkle of Arizonian sand.
“For us, the mountains are not a very dangerous place. They are dangerous places if we don’t respect them, if we overestimate ourselves, if we underestimate them.” The first episode goes like this It begins with the voice of guide Richard Lehner. He estimates he has climbed the Matterhorn about 250 times or more. But even after all the climbing and rescues, he found himself getting a rush of adrenaline every time the phone rang.
