30 years of Super Puma in Swiss Air Force

Yes, those big helicopters are already 30 years on duty - time to celebrate !

Alpnach organises a Public Day on May 13th, 2017 - from 0900-1700 LT. Super Puma Display Team and Swiss Air Force's PC-7 Team are main attractions:

Tag der Öffentlichkeit - 75 Jahre Flpz ALP und 30 Jahre Super Puma

(on the same date there is also another aviation event in the area - Nostalgieflugtag 13 Mai 2017 mit Junkers Ju-52 in MEIRINGEN) 

Back in 1987, the first Super Puma helicopter (T-311) arrived in Switzerland. With the Alouette III as workinghorse before, these nearly 19m long and capable to transport a charge of 4000kg helicopters changed Swiss Army as nothing before. Fast troop transport, used in other countries since the 1960's, are now regularly used also in Switzerland. Great flexibility can be seen in the reactivity to extinguish big fires and natural disasters, our Super Puma's helped people already in many countries - Sumatra saw two of them transported in an Antonov AN-124 transport plane too !

Alouette III and Super Puma - a dream team

 boosting Swiss Army's transport capabilities - four Super Puma in formation

Range can be extended with up to five 475l ferry flight fuel tanks in the cabin

fast transport of important number of troops are now possible and extensively used

Modernisation work to TH06 (Transporthelikopter 2006) standard with glass cockpit and up to date systems neared the Super Pumas to the actual and beginning in 2000 delivered 12 AS532UL Cougar Mk1, named TH89 in Swiss Air Force. Those have the ISSYS self defence system, protection against heat seeking missiles and laser/radar warners. Also available is the JDD (Jet Delucion Device) to redirect the hot exhaust gases into the mainrotor. Its to decrease the chance that the helicopter gets spottet by an infrared missile.

10 AS532UL Cougar Mk1 where assembled in Emmen (RUAG) in between 2001 and 2002

 T-311 was the first Super Puma arriving in Switzerland (July 31st, 1987) and was very helpful already a couple of weeks later with the natural disaster in Puschlav area - transporting construction/building engines and else to and from the site.

TH06 standard Super Puma, the little antenna on the tailsection is the most visible change from the outside (and a fast possibility to name it Cougar or Super Puma).

Safety first - only four Super Puma/Cougar's of our Fleet had bigger accidents so far. T-322 was rebuilt as TH06 prototype after an heavy landing in 1999, T-341 crashed 2011 (wfu) and T-338 crashed 2016 (wfu). And T-318 was involved in an mid-aircollission in 1994, crashing a civil helicopter.

 the actual dreamteam - EC635 and AS532UL Cougar Mk1