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Axalp Aviation-Shooting 2023 |
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Text: |
Michael E. Fader |
Pictures: |
Michael E. Fader |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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WINGS-AVIATION
has been reporting on the Royal Thai Air Force's Air Tactical Operations
Competition in Chandy and the Swiss Air Force's air firing competition
at Axalp - Ebenfluh (BE) for years. Basically, the events are very
similar and demonstrate the capabilities of the two air forces in the
use of aircraft with live ammunition. However, the two events are
totally different. This starts with the journey to the event.At Axalp,
an ascent into the high alpine environment at 2,250 metres is necessary,
which is not exactly easy and demanded a great deal from the untrained
editor of WINGS-AVATION, even pushing him to his limits. |
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The ascent began in the
early hours of the morning with a leisurely ride in the Postbus to the
valley station of the Axalp ski lift. The ski lift, which was opened
especially for this event before the season, took visitors to the
Windegg mountain station. Now you can only continue on foot. The path
leads to the south face of the Tschingel in just under two hours.
Experienced hikers are certainly faster, but I had considerable
difficulty with the challenging terrain. The "path", which did not exist
as such, led over hill and dale. There were barriers in very dangerous
places, otherwise you had to find your own way. After a good two hours,
I arrived exhausted on the Tschingel. |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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Support flights
of the Eeurocopter EC-635 (Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
Anflug und
Abflug von Super Pumas (Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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Mc Donnell Douglas F-18C Hornet |
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The
aerial shooting was opened by three F/A-18 Hornets firing their 20 mm
cannon at the targets scattered on the slopes. The F/A-18 Hornets from
Meiringen's Flying Squadron 11 shot at the targets from different
directions, which didn't exactly make it easy for the photographers. The
hit rate was reported immediately by the control tower and was
surprisingly good.
The F/A-18 Hornet flew at
the targets several times from six different attack directions, aiming
at a slight descent of 15 degrees for two to three seconds before firing
the on-board cannons at a speed of 800 km/h and a range of around 1.2 to
1.8 kilometres. Just over a second later, the spectators can see the
projectiles hit the targets. No sooner had the targets flown over than
the Hornets disappeared behind the next ridge. |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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Air policing |
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The
alert flight of two F/A-18Cs from Payerne intercepted an intruder
(Cessna Citation Excel) in Swiss airspace over Axalp. The procedures for
intercepting an aircraft were demonstrated within sight of the audience,
from visual identification to warnings with wing sweeps and guidance to
landing. A Superpuma then demonstrated the same procedure for
intercepting a propeller driven aircraft (Pilatus PC-7), using a flare
gun from the helicopter. This procedure is used during the WEF in Davos
to escort private pilots out of the no-fly zone around Davos. |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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Trainer & Fighter (PC-7
PC-21 Hornet) |
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Daniel
"Stampa" Stämpfli used a Pilatus PC-21 to demonstrate the capabilities
of the training aircraft in the high mountains. He used valleys and
mountains to demonstrate the aircraft's capabilities. As we were on the
Axalp on Tuesday, the training day, he was able to extend the programme
and fly additional manoeuvres. It was obvious that he really enjoyed
manoeuvring around up here. At the end there was a flypast of a Pilatus
PC-7, Pilatus PC-21 and a Mc Donnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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F-18C Hornet Display |
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A
single F/A-18C with the registration J-5018 then impressively
demonstrated the flying capabilities of the Hornet. The agility of the
fighter was demonstrated with fast and slow overflights and quick
manoeuvres. The climb performance was particularly impressive when the
pilot brought the aircraft into a vertical position and radioed the
altitude from 3,000 metres to around 14,00 metres in just a few seconds. |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Urs Schnyder) |
(Picture courtesy
Urs Schnyder) |
(Picture courtesy
Urs Schnyder) |
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KSK (Kommando Spezial Kräfte) |
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The
Special Forces Command (KSK) flew in with two Pilatus PC-6 Turbo
Porters. One "Felix" was in the colours of the Patroillie Suisse and is
usually used by the squadron commander. The second was camouflaged and
the difference in visibility in the terrain was striking. Both
aeroplanes dropped paratroopers. However, the parachutists did not land
on the Ebenenfluh, but flew past the Tschingel and down into the valley
to Meiningen. Until 31 December 2011, the Special Forces Command (KSK)
was known as the Armed Forces Reconnaissance and Grenadier Formation
(AGFA) and is an amalgamation of the Swiss Armed Forces' special
operations units. AGFA was founded on 1 January 2004 and is currently
commanded by Colonel Nicola Guerini of the General Staff.
The second exercise was the
dismounting of eight grenadiers who also belong to the KSK. They
demonstrated the use of rocket-propelled grenades against targets on the
slope. The eight grenadiers abseiled down from the lifting helicopter
and brought two rocket tubes into position. The enemy was "held down"
with assault rifles and then attacked with the RPG's. Interestingly, the
targets were not hit, but that was intentional, because live ammunition
was used and replacing the targets on the mountain slopes is extremely
time-consuming. That's why the shots are always slightly off target. The
grenadiers were then disembarked using a long rope to which the
grenadiers held on. |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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Patrouille Suisse |
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The
Patrouille Suisse concluded the programme. How long this squadron can
and may continue to fly is uncertain. After all, the Northrop F-5E Tiger
is no longer in squadron service with the Swiss Air Force, making
Patrouille Suisse the only operator of this type. Due to the financial
burden of the squadron, efforts are being made to disband the team.
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
(Picture courtesy
Michael E. Fader) |
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Am 15. und 16. Oktober 2025 finden voraussichtlich die Flugvorführungen
der Schweizer Luftwaffe auf dem Fliegerschiessplatz Axalp – Ebenfluh
(BE) statt. Dabei führt die Luftwaffe ihre Leistungsbereitschaft
inmitten der alpinen Umgebung vor. Das Training findet am 14. Oktober
2025 statt. |
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