Switzerland II (2013)

Switzerland II 2013

In November 2013 a small group of photographers went to Switzerland to witness the activities of the Swiss Air Force in this time of the year. They encounered challenging conditions.

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21 November 2013

In the early morning of Thursday 21 November a small group of 4 people was ready for the challenging tour to the beautiful Switzerland. After a short flight to Geneva and collecting the rental van (prepared for winter conditions) the heading was for Sion, where a number of F-5s was supposed to be detached for an exercise. Because of the first snowfall of the season and the limited visibility there was no activity unfortunately so some wrecks & relics were sought and found.

22 November 2013

After a good night’s sleep and breakfast the sunny Friday morning (22 November) resulted in two PC-9s and a PC-7, but the F-5s were not active. Therefore Payerne was visited in the afternoon, hoping for some activity of the F/A-18s and perhaps some F-5s. At Payerne the group was treated to three F/A-18s that flew two sorties. The combination of the hazy winter sunshine and snow resulted in some very fine shots. At the end of the afternoon the hotel in Bern was found, where a light show could be enjoyed that was projected onto the parliament building.

23 November 2013

The weekend would bring a number wrecks & relics, museum and a visit to the airport of Zürich. On Saturday (23 November) during the morning we first drove from Bern to Zürich. The Flieger Flab Museum at Dübendorf shows the history of the Swiss Air Force, from the very first beginning with a Fokker C.V (and others) up to and including the more recent history with Hunters and Mirages. A nice surprise was waiting at the hotel in Stans on Saturday evening, where the group was met by a Dutch hotel owner and aviation enthusiast.

24 November 2013

25 November 2013

After a relaxing weekend it was time to head for Meiringen on Monday 25 November. The route was via a very scenic snowy mountain road. At Meiringen night flying activities were scheduled, therefore the base would only be active in the afternoon and evening. So, the day started at Stans-Buochs and Alpnach. The group was just in time to see an engine test of an Indian Air Force PC-7 at Stans-Buochs, just before it was towed back inside the Pilatus factory. By Monday afternoon it was time to head back for Meiringen for the afternoon and evening activities. On average about 15 or 16 sorties are flown daily, divided over 4 waves. Because of the night flying program 8 sorties were flown in the dark. Meiringen offers numerous spots for spectacular photos with mountains in the background, some are very close to the runway. Night flying is something worthwhile. An awesome experience to see F/A-18s show up from the dark, lighting their afterburners and disappearing into the night soon afterwards.

26 November 2013

27 November 2013

On Wednesday 27 November, the final day of the tour, another visit was paid to Payerne (where it was a bit too quiet). There some PC-7s. EC635 and an AS532 flew. Early in the evening it was time to head for Geneva again for the flight back to Amsterdam. The combination of spectacular photo spots, interesting museums and the awesome snow covered landscape made sure that the group returned to Schiphol with a feeling of satisfaction.