The Eurocopter EC 135 is a lightweight five/seven seat twin-turbine-engine multi-role helicopter with a radius of 720 km. The EC 135 is offered with either Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 or Pratt and Whitney Canada PW206B2 engines. Development of the Eurocopter EC135 started in the 80s as the MBB Bo.108 Advanced Technology Helicopter. The prototype BO108 with conventional tail rotor flew first on 15 October 1988. When the helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group, the Bo108 program was transferred as well. An advanced low noise ducted 10-blade Fenestron tail rotor was, next to other modifications, incorporated into the design and the name of the helicopter was changed into Eurocopter EC135. The prototype of the EC135 (D-HBOX s/n S-01) flew first on 15 February 1994 and went into series production in 1996 at Donauwörth. After German certification was granted on 14 June 1996, the first customer delivery was on 31 July that year. Over 550 have been delivered since the helicopter entered service in 1996 with the German rescue company DRF - Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht e.V.

RTH (Rettungstransporthubschrauber) EC135P1 D-HIPT "Christoph 70" was photographed at the helipad of the ADAC-Luftrettungszentrum Jena. This Air Rescue Station is situated at the airfield Jena-Schöngleina in Germany and was opened in June 2005. Until June 2005 the helicopter of the Air Rescue station was located in a temporary hangar at Jena-Schöngleina. Operations of the Air Rescue station Jena started on 8 June 1994. First a Bell UH-1D of the German Army was used. In January 1996, the ADAC-Luftrettung GmbH took over the flying operations. The 1999-built EC-135P1 s/n 0109 was registered in July 1999 as D-HIPT and delivered to the ADAC Luftrettung GmbH. The callsign "Christoph" is used for the German lifeliner helicopters since 1970 and is derived of Saint Christophorus, the Patron Saint for all travellers.