19 and 20 October 2022 – Meiringen AFB and Axalp Ebenfluh
Also in the 2022 the appointment with the high altitudes of Axalp is renewed, the only polygon in Europe where the public, once a year, can freely attend the firing exercises of an Air Force
It's the fifth time I've been able to attend this event (you can find the other three which, which and which) but I never get tired. Every time it is different and every year that passes there is always something new. This year the surprise were 2 F 35A of our Air Force which, even without participating in fire drills, they abundantly thrilled the public at high altitude with breathtaking passages at full barrel inside the valley of the shooting range. It was a taste of what we will be able to see from 2027, when Lockheed Martin's Lightnings begin to be delivered to the Swiss Air Force, who definitely bought them in September 2022.
This year my outing was articulated on 2 days: 19 and 20 October.
The passage for the ascent by helicopter is scheduled for 20 and so I left on the morning of 19, with ease, to arrive around 13:00 a Meiringen, so as to attend the afternoon flights. The day is fantastic and the photographs published on social networks by the spotters present at high altitude suggest great photos. And so it is. The condensation clouds of the F 35 they are almost solid!!!
I arrive just in time to photograph 2 take-offs and then I have to settle for dozens of Super Puma take-offs and landings, interspersed with Hornets landings and PC movements 7 and PC 21. The formation of F 18 E F 35 it flies over us at high altitude and I take the opportunity to film it from this angle, albeit very distant. It will be closer tomorrow.
The day quickly comes to an end and the time comes to leave for the nearby town where I will spend the night.
The next morning I arrive at the airport around 08:00 immersed in a wonderful light of the first sun that filters into the valley of the airport and I am one of the first to park in the spaces provided by the usual impeccable Swiss organization. I hurry to the place I planned to resume the morning wave take-offs and I start to hear the howls of the F 404 that get going. Arrived at the expected place, I notice that a thick fog is approaching the airport, from nearby Lake Brienz. We are quickly enveloped in a gray blanket that severely limits visibility and prevents the wave from taking off. Let's hope it doesn't affect the performance at the range.
As expected at 10:50 we present ourselves at the reception desk and we are given badges and boarding passes for round-trip flights to the shooting range,
after which we are accompanied to the briefing room where we are welcomed by the Minister of Defense of the Confederation, Mrs. Viola Amherd.
His speech was followed by that of Army Chief Thomas Süssli and that of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Peter Mertz.
All the speeches illustrated to those present the present and the future of the Air Force with particular emphasis, of course, on the AIR2030 program which foresees the arrival of Lockheed Martin F 35A Lightning II and MIM 104 Patriot.
At the end of the briefing we are accompanied to the square and embarked on the helicopters that, always eats, in a few minutes they land us on the tiny postage stamp next to the fire director's building on the Ebenfluh.
The seats assigned to media representatives are in the very first row, without anyone being able to obstruct the view of the stupendous scenery of the Alps which form the backdrop to the polygon.
There is still quite a bit of time left for the start of the exhibition and I take the opportunity to feed myself: this year raclette cheese and beer. I notice for the first time that even the tickets for the purchase of food are themed.
I go back to my workstation and, while I eat the frugal meal, I enjoy the scenario of incomparable beauty that appears in front of me.
Unfortunately the weather has turned a bit bad and a thick cover of clouds hides the sun, further complicating the resumption of the exhibition that, duly, opens at 14:00 with high-speed input and plenty of flare release from the 2 pairs of Hornets who will shoot with their M cannon 61 Vulcan. The steps are many, I lose count, from all 3 the intended directions. At the end of the steps are, always eats, exhausted: beyond 12 minutes of continuous camera panning with the 150-600 mounted I assure you that they are a very heavy physical exercise!!!
A few seconds of pause and here comes the Super Puma Display Team for its exciting exhibition. It is always a huge surprise to see this heavy helicopter hovering in the valley. The highlight is always the rain of flares which this year takes place with a different camera angle, causing the helicopter to appear engulfed in flames.
Immediately after here is the passage of the Hornets formation with the F 35 Italians at the ends: it's about the 6-01 he was born in 32-09 who at the end of the 2nd pass in formation separate to make two passes each: the first from left to right and the second in the opposite direction. The extensive use of afterburner and the height of the steps sent the audience into raptures. In particular the last passage of the 32-09, coming from the bottom of the valley in a tight turn with the wings immersed in the condensation and the overflight with relative disheveled audience, it literally made people scream. A scream, moreover, abundantly covered by the din of the Pratt & Whitney F 135 which released all its almost 20 tons of full AB thrust.
The program continues with the simulations of intercepting slow movers by a Super Puma, complete with a sniper positioned at the open door of the helicopter and then Hornets intent on intercepting a small bizjet, this time played by a PC Pilatus 24 of the Swiss Air Force.
Below is the launch of the paratroopers from the PCs 6, which then reappear very low in the valley of the polygon followed by the formation of F 18, PC 21 and PC 7.
Separation of Boeing's twin-reactor marks the start of the Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team display, also this year masterfully piloted by captain Yannick “Fönsi” Zanata. Unfortunately the passage at high speed did not produce the classic "cloud" around the plane but, seen from the side, however, the shock waves caused by the high transonic speed were noted.
The always elegant and very fast PC 21, with a very tight performance he preceded the team of Army raiders who landed with the Fast Rope technique from a hovering Super Puma and targeted the opposite wall with tracer bullets and a couple of Panzerfaust missiles 3 to then leave the post all hanging from the rope lowered from the same helicopter that had landed them.
Time passes quickly and it is already time for the Patrouille Suisse to close the day. The clouds that cover us give almost evening tones, and the light is really much less than we would like.
The final passage with rain of flares is really exciting and the final flyover is nothing but a see you next year.
We just have to get off at Meiringen with the very fast rotating paddle lift that embarks us on the usual stamp of beaten earth and in a few minutes we are at our destination, not before taking a last couple of photos of the panorama that, even with dark clouds, always remains of incomparable beauty.
It's over for this year too. They still remain 4 hours 1/2 of cars during which I can remember and savor these 2 days always so full of emotions.
Of course…..those 2 F 35......bread, so much steal......
