21-22 January 2016 – Payerne
E’ questo il 3° appuntamento con i voli di polizia aerea per il World Economic Forum che seguo. After appointments 2013 and 2015, where Meiringen (photographic reports find them which and which) He had the burden of bearing the most flights, in 2016 it happened to Payerne. The turn of the latter, really, It would have been paid last year, ma è stata “graziata” dopo il grande impegno dell’AIR14.
For those who still did not know what is spoken briefly explain
It takes place every year in Davos, renowned resort famous for its winter sports, il World Economic Forum. E’ questa un occasione che riunisce i più famosi economisti al mondo e diversi capi di Stato. E’ quindi per proteggere questi VIPs che l’Aeronautica Militare Elvetica predispone un poderoso ombrello aereo, act to prevent and ward off any attacks that might be taken from the air. And so, while in the charming town in the canton of Grisons are arranged for radar plots and artillery batteries and anti-aircraft missiles, in the sky flying F 18 E F 5 armed with live missiles and cannons loads, ready to intercept any aircraft with hostile intentions. The main bases of the Schweizer Luftwaffe (Payerne, Meiringen e Sion) They have therefore undertaken, a year for each, to turn, to provide logistics support for aircraft that are alternated in the No Fly Zone established in Davos coverage.
After the rounds in Meiringen 2013 and 2015 and Sion in 2014 it then fell to Payerne. The latter is a small town of less than 8000 inhabitants, located in Canton Vaud, a few kilometers from the French border, which houses the largest and most important Air Force base. Here are, normally, all the year, both F 18C and D Hornet that F and F 5E Tiger II fitted on Fliegerstaffel 6, 17 and 18.
The flights to protect the WEF will continue for all the days of the event, from early in the morning at the absolute dark of night. The early morning flights and the last of the evening are exclusively carried out by Hornet.
E’ interessante analizzare l’armamento degli aeromobili che partecipano ai voli. This year there was no difference with what was seen last year in Meiringen then:
- F 18 Hornet: 2 AIM 9X Sidewinder wing tips, ventral tank 1200 liters and, likely, M 61 Vulcan load. As for the medium-range armament, some specimens had 2 AIM-120 AMRAAM ai 2 hardpoint ventral while others had only 1 to the right while the left pylon was occupied by an AN / ASQ-228 Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) the Rayteon of which the Swiss Air Force has purchased 20 specimens. These devices are likely to be used for visual identification of targets at distance. The Hornet always flying in pairs and at least one of them had a ATFLIR. All tanks recalled clearly the international aviation emergency frequency (122.5 MHz) from contact by aircraft that may intercepted.
- F 5 Tiger: 2 AIM 9P alle tips alari, ventral tank and guns Pontiac M 39 loads.
To come to the event this year will tell you that I started with different fears, I knew that ultimately the airport was equipped with high fence. Until a few years ago it was free and photographs could be taken from any point without obstacles. Unfortunately I did not know where I could shoot and, for all I knew, anche la famosa “Spotter Hill” era all’interno della recinzione e, then, unattainable.
They are then left on Thursday morning 21, about 7,45 and, after about 5 hours, I arrived at the destination. In the earlier days there had been some light snow and the scenery was whitewashed. The cold was felt but I was properly equipped. I took on the north side of the track and, actually, I immediately noticed the network. But I have also seen some people on the hill and so I went there too. Was open and accessible. I noticed the presence of construction sites in the area and do not know how long it will remain usable, for this occasion, it was still.
I was immediately greeted by over-flying a Pilatus Porter, right after, from landing a pair of Tiger II. Small hunting Northrop are about to be struck by the Air Force of the Confederation and this could be one of the last times (if not the last absolute) che potrò vederli in azione con armamento “live”. For landing, sometimes, the chute is used to slow. The length of runway, much higher than that of Meiringen, It allows, sometimes, not to use it. The movements have followed, intense, all day long. There have been several touch 'n go New Pilatus PC 21 and some PC flights 7, PC 6 and EC 635.
Vera vedette dell'evento, in my opinion, l’F 5 J-3038 with Special tail Color to celebrate 75 years of Staffeln 19. Even for the F 18 c'era one Special, but it was the J-5017 with Panther on dinghies, already seen several times. In the afternoon he went to flight even a welcome F 5F two-seater.
The day ended with a beautiful sunset that colored everything red.
After a night spent in a comfortable Bed & Breakfast near, I regained the position to 8,40 of the 22. The runway in use had become the 23 and this has allowed me to vary all pictures. The day passed without major changes compared to the previous. Unfortunately the sun was not up to the previous one. A journey with no history from 17,30 to 22,30 It concluded this first trip of 2016
To you photos
