Collision PC-7 Team with Camera, St. Moritz 2017: Former team leader awaits trial

After the collision of an (NC)PC-7 Turbo Trainer aircraft with an cable on Ski Worldcup February 17, 2017 at St. Moritz, military justice is ready for the trial against the former team leader. The pilot touching the cable and damaging aircraft and installations was already acquitted for.

Source: https://www.admin.ch/gov/de/start/dokumentation/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-79349.html

Treaty on Open Skies at end ? we hope not

With United States decision to withdraw from the 1992 established Treaty, the other 33 signatory states has to make decisions to continue the mission - a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants.

The program was established for mutual understanding and confidence between those States with allowing unarmed surveillance flights over there territory.

The actual decision is a political one, but not to the best of the people living on this small blue planet.


I had the chance to see some of those special equipped aircrafts back in 1999 at RIAT Fairford, UK. One of the special themes there was Open Skies.

Some nice pictures of those missions you can watch here: https://www.osce.org/fsc/66205

Czech Republic Air Force's Antonov An-30FG (cn 1107), wfu 2003 and dismantled/moved to Zruc Air Park

Royal Air Force's Hawker Siddeley HS-780 Andover C1(PR), XS596 (cn 1574)

Russia Air Force's Antonov An-30B BLACK 04 (cn 0704), w/o 23may12 on landing at Cáslav after an Open Skies mission over Czechia when came in too fast, caught fire and burnt out. 6 of 23 crew injured. Actual Open Skies aircrafts are Tupolev Tu-154M LK-1 and Tupolev Tu-214ON.

This Boeing OC-135B (717-158) 61-2670 / OF (cn 18346) is the Open Skies aircraft of the USA. With the actual discussion the missions will be flown by specialised military aircrafts in the future - like those RC-135V Rivet Joint:

USAF Boeing RC-135V Rivet Joint (739-445B), 62-4132 / OF (cn 18472)

COVID19: Display schedule Swiss Hornet Display Team - V4

Info via Swiss Hornet Display Team:

Schedule update: training course is now planned 10-14th of august. Of course this will also depend on the measures about the COVID-19 🦠 , but we still hope to fly a few times this year

COVID19: Grimmi has still to go at work by bike - but scans it's old Kodachrome64

Yes, the Virus will not kill me (I hope). The most dangerous thing is my way to work - 12-15km each way and each day, but with a bit lesser traffic these days then a few weeks ago. My new eBike with Gen4 Bosch engine has much more performance than my old one from supermarket and the Spikes are a bit overdue in this winter - still, in the early morning some icy parts on my way.

Free time for the hobby is limited by that, but a few glimpses in my scan work of my archives is permitted ....

RIAT'99 Fairford - some unworked scans out of only five rolls of Kodachrome64 films (36 pictures each)

Yes - very different lineup to airshows these days. And reworked they are looking awesome - some of my shots available here: 

https://www.airfighters.com/photosearch.php?&phgid=955&loc=2707

Thank you for visiting 👍

Air to Ground Shooting Range Axalp (-Ebenfluh) - Power Demonstration 2018 - last time with our grey Tigers

Every year in October, the Swiss Air Force invites the world to the Power Demo showed up there. No more rockets and bombs since the end of Vampire and Hunter, but still impressive.
Unfortunally it was the last year with the grey Tiger F-5's - the're only used for the agressor role and Patrouille Suisse in the future, but not needed to shoot there bullets anymore.

Graduation of Pilot Class'13, Vitznau and Training PC-7 Team this week

The ceremony will take place on thursday 12th with a Super Puma Display at the seaside of Vitznau. PC-7 Team cancelled there planned contribution but will fly in Emmen, Payerne and Dübendorf this week:

EDIT December 12th: SUPER PUMA DISPLAY TEAM cancelled there participation too ....

PC-7 Team Training for World Cup Crans Montana

Wednesday, 11th:
Emmen 1045-1115LT
Payerne 1345-1415LT

Thursday, 12th:
Dübendorf 1100-1130LT

WEF 2020 - Air Policy above Davos

In 2020, the armed forces will once again support the civilian authorities in the canton of Graubünden in carrying out security tasks in connection with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Parliament approved the deployment of a maximum of 5,000 soldiers on these civil affairs support operations from 2019 until 2021. The 2020 WEF meeting will be held from 17 to 27 January.


Main base for the combat ready jets is Payerne LSMP (1st ALT is LSMM, 2nd ALT is LSMS) again and the 25 nautical miles flight restrictions above Davos are on the following dates:

January 17th, 2020 from 1300-1700h LT (training)
January 20th from 0800h LT continuosly 'till January 25th, 1700 LT (hot)

Some Pilatus (NC)PC-7 will be flying out of Samedan airport during training day and the hot mission.

More informations: https://www.vtg.admin.ch/de/aktuell/einsaetze-und-operationen/sse/wef.html

Some impressions of Air Policy from other years 

Swiss Air Force flight schedules and Airshows 2020

Our Air Force is very kind to us military aviation lovers again and published some interesting schedules.

Main change is the opened QRA-schedule, now all days from 0600-2200h LT two armed Hornets are on 15mins Alert.

ALPNACH

EMMEN

Pistensperre: 27. Juli - 21. August 2020
Staffelflugbetrieb mit F/A-18 Hornet: 29. Juni - 24. Juli 2020


MEIRINGEN

Tiger-TK's mit jeweils mehreren F-5 Tiger und  F/A-18 Hornet: Woche 7/8/37/38

PAYERNE

SION

Airshows 2020 - update April 29th,2020

Other interesting events in aviation, including ballooning and modelling. Mainly Switzerland. For the full schedule please visit flugzeugforum.de. The RIO in Ecuvillens is rescheduled to Gruyeres and will happen in 2021 again.

COVID19 saw and will cancelling a lot of events - so please inform you in avance on the official homepages !

January
05 Stuckli Ballonfiesta, Sattel-Hochstuckli (CH) - Reserve Feb 02 and 16 www.sattel-hochstuckli.ch
10/11 Youth Olympic Games Lausanne, Les Diablerets (CH) with Patrouille Suisse (10 TRG 1230-1305h/11 Demo 1145-1215h LT) www.lausanne2020.sport
12-18 Ballonwoche, Arosa (CH) www.ballonwoche.ch
16-18 Lauberhornrennen, Wengen (CH) with Patrouille Suisse in formation with SWISS Airbus www.lauberhorn.ch (16.1140h, 17. 1320h, 18. 1140h LT)
17-27 World Economic Forum WEF, Davos (CH) with restricted airspace 17(TRG)/20-25 out of Payerne www.bazl.admin.ch/wef
25-02 Festival International de Ballons, Château-d'Oex (CH) www.festivaldeballons.ch

February
11 1. Schweizer Helitag, Mollis (CH) www.swiss-aerospace-cluster.ch
14-16 Faszination Modellflug, Kirchberg (CH) www.mgburgdorf.ch
21-23 FIS Ski World Cup, Crans-Montana (CH) with PC-7 Team (21. TRG) www.skicm-cransmontana.ch

March

14 Delegiertenversammlung mfvs, Grenchen LSZG (CH) www.mfvs.ch

15 52. Zäziwiler Hangflugwettbewerb, Zäziwil Bueleberg  (CH) www.mg-gh.ch

21 Scale F4 Heli Training, Interlaken (CH) www.modellflug.ch/scale

28/29 Modellflug Ausstellung Untersiggenthal MG UT, Untersiggenthal (CH) www.mg-ut.ch

April

01-04 Aero, Friedrichshafen (D) www.aero-friedrichshafen.de

04 20. Nordwestschweizer Modellbaubörse, Brislach (CH) www.mfvbrislach.ch

11 Frühjahrs-Helitreffen, Leuggern (CH ) www.loorholz-flugtage.ch
14-16 Akrokurs FMA Altenrhein, Mollis (CH) http://www.fliegermuseum.ch
18 Generalversammlung EAS, Grenchen LSZG (CH)  www.experimental.ch

25 Hamilton Swiss Aerobatic Cup, Yverdon (CH) www.saa.ch
27-03 Patrouille des Glaciers, Verbier (CH) with Patrouille Suisse www.pdg.ch
29 Basevisite, Meiringen (CH) www.haslital.ch

May
02/03 Arbon Classics, Arbon (CH) www.arbon-classics.ch
05 GV der Motorflugveteranen des AeCS, Flieger- und Fahrzeugmuseum Altenrhein (FFA) www.mot-flug-veteranen.ch

09 Hamilton Swiss Aerobatic Cup, Sitterdorf (CH) www.saa.ch
13-17 ILA, Berlin (D) www.ila-berlin.de
16 Tage der Aerophilatelie, Langenthal-Bleienbach - LSPL (CH) www.sav-aerophilatelie.ch
21-24 AMPA Swiss Tour, Lausanne (CH) www.ampa.ch
25-29 Flights with Dassault Mirage IIIDS, Payerne (CH) www.clindailes.ch

26-28 EBACE, Geneva (CH) www.ebace.aero

June
05-07 Seaplane Meeting, Hergiswil (CH) http://www.seaplanes.ch

06/07  Journée portes ouvertes de l'aérodrome, Bressaucourt (CH) www.aerojura.ch (Reserve: Sept 12/13)
13 Tag der Bundeswehr, Laage (D)
13 Hamilton Swiss Aerobatic Cup, Buttwil (CH) www.saa.ch
27 Seefest, Zug (CH) with Patrouille Suisse (1730-18h LT) www.zugerseefest.ch

July
11 OldtimAIR Flugparade, Stanserhorn (CH) www.stanserhorn.ch
11 Hamilton Swiss Aerobatic Cup, Bressaucourt (CH) www.saa.ch
29-24 Hornet Flugbetrieb, Emmen - LSME (CH)
31-02 International EAS Summer Fly-In , Langenthal-Bleienbach - LSPL (CH) www.experimental.ch

August
01/02 17. Loorholz Flugtage, Leuggern (CH ) www.loorholz-flugtage.ch
07-24 Pilot school PilS with PC-21, Payerne (normally out of Emmen)
10-14 Flights with Dassault Mirage IIIDS, Payerne (CH) www.clindailes.ch
11-15 4th FAI Women's World Hot Air Balloon Championship, Nałęczów (Poland) http://balloons.aeroklub.lublin.pl/
15 Hamilton Swiss Aerobatic Cup, Motiers (CH) www.saa.ch
15/16 Flugfest, Hagenbuch (CH) www.flugfest.ch
21-23 Acro Show, Villeneuve VD (CH) www.acroshow.ch
21-23 32. OSV Treffen, Ambrì-Piotta - LSPM (CH) www.osv-ch.org

22 Hunterfest, St. Stephan (CH) www.hunterverein.ch
28-04 64th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, Wroclaw (Poland)
29/30 Dittinger Flugtage, Dittingen (CH) www.flugtage.ch
29/30 Tag der offenen Tür/40 Jahre Mountainflyers, Belp (CH) www.mountainflyers.ch

September
05/06 12th Oldtimerclassic, Hittnau (CH) www.oldtimerclassic.ch
05/06 Fly-In, Mollis (CH)
06 Meeting de l'Air - "Les 80 ans de la bataille de france'', Cambrai (France) www.fosa.fr/meetingdelair/
06 Schaufliegen Modellfluggruppe Signau, Steinen bei Signau/Bowil (CH) http://www.mg-signau.ch
06 Flügerchilbi, Langenthal (CH) www.sgoberaargau.ch

06-06 6. Internationale Ballon- & Flugtage Alpenrheintal, Widnau (Schweiz) https://ballon-flugtage.ch/

06-13 Swiss National Aerobatic Championship 2020, Bex (CH) www.saa.ch
12/13 Erlebniswochenende Sitterdorf, Sitterdorf (CH) www.erlebnisflugplatz.ch
20-26 24th FAI World Hot Air Balloon Championship, Sobota (Slovenia)

26 11 Scale-Helitreffen, Leuggern (CH ) www.loorholz-flugtage.ch

26-04 47. Internationale Alpine Heissluftballonwoche Flims, Flims (CH) www.ballonwoche-flims.ch
28-02 Flights with Dassault Mirage IIIDS, Payerne (CH) www.clindailes.ch

October

09-11 Air & Space Days Verkehrshaus Luzern, Luzern (CH) Air & Space Days
13/14 Airshow/Shooting Demonstration, Axalp (CH) www.armee.ch/axalp
21 Basevisite, Meiringen (CH) www.haslital.ch

November

04 Giorno dell'unità nazionale/Armed Forces Day, Roma (Italy)

ProAero JULA'19 - Youth camp of swiss aeroclub organisation

Some impressions of my participation (as leader of an french group) on the youth camp near St. Moritz

Helping the aviation interested teenagers to build aircraft models, missiles, balloons and further more in company of many experts. And yes, some interesting visitors where also there - and an airshow !

Join us: www.jula-proaero.ch