The summer holiday period has offered no break for the region's leading rescue helicopter, with the number of missions up by 50 per cent this season.
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If the December and January averages continue, the season will be the Snowy Hydro SouthCare chopper's busiest in at least five years.
The rescue helicopter has completed 51 missions since December 19, up 17 from the same time last year, with motor vehicle accidents the most common cause of an emergency response.
Snowy Hydro SouthCare chief executive Owen Finegan said pilots generally had more work during summer holiday times.
''We certainly see a spike in missions around the Christmas holiday period and warmer months when people engage in more outdoor activities and travel throughout the festive season,'' Mr Finegan said.
''It is comforting to know that the service was able to provide more than 50 patients essential medical care over the December and January period.''
There have been 75 call-outs since December 1, which means the recent record for missions across the two months - 96 in 2011-12 - is set to be broken.
Motor vehicle accidents accounted for 12 of the 48 specified missions from December 19, with sepsis - a life-threatening illness involving bacteria in the blood - and spinal injuries leading to five flights. Four trips were made for fractures.
The NSW south coast was the most common destination for the three full-time pilots who worked over the summer break, with 16 missions completed in the area.
Moruya and Bega, with five missions each, were the busiest locations visited. The helicopter flew to Goulburn four times since December 19.
A replacement helicopter is now in use after the distinctive green, blue and white chopper went in for a gear change last week.
A Snowy Hydro SouthCare spokeswoman said demand for the service was continuing to increase, with summer far busier than the winter snow period.
''There are about 15 missions to the snow each year,'' the spokeswoman said.
There were 499 missions in 2013.
The service began in October 1998 and costs almost $7 million a year to run, covering from Young in the north to the Victorian border, and from the NSW coast to Hay in the west.
