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The Air14 or 100 years Swiss Air Force airshow was an international air show organized by the Swiss Air Force in August and September 2014 at the Payerne Air Base. It was the biggest airshow in Europe.

History

Until 1991, when Switzerland held festivities for its 700th Birthday, most swiss airshows were organzied by civilian airshow organizers. Before that date, the Swiss Air Force participated in various military and civilian events with demonstrations. There were no regular airshows organized by the military except each year one public day at Dubendorf during the Air Force Competitions (Armeeflugmeisterschaften) and small partly public open doors thought for family members in the militia of Switzerland recruit training. Notable demonstrations were held in 1974 at Dubendorf, Payerne and Locarno, commemorating 50 years of military flying, attracting 100'000 people at Dubendorf. Private organizers also introduced foreign military aircraft into their program, such as the Harrier in the flying days in Bex and several airshows at Sion airport 1982, 1986, 1989 and 1997.

After the end of the Cold War, invitations were sent to Eastern Bloc countries for the first and during the 1991 show in Payerne, on the occation of 700 years of Switzerland and 50 years of Ueberwachungsgeschwader, Mi-24 helicopters were flown at the show as well as the Thunderbirds. At the Air94 on 26 and 27 August 1994, Patrouille Suisse celebrated its 30th anniversary on the Hawker Hunter. The highlight of the event was the farewell of the hunters with a formation flight of 40 Hawker Hunter.

It was decided to carry out such an airshow every ten years. The next Airshow therefore took place as Air04 on 4 and 5 September 2004 commemorating 90 years of military aviation and 40 years of Patrouille Suisse on the military airfield Payerne. Some 275,000 people followed the military spectacle with 186 aircraft. Its highlight was an unusual joint flight of five aerobatics teams.

The next airshow was therefore due in 2014, when the Swiss air force celebrated its 100th anniversary and Patrouille Suisse its 50th anniversary along with the PC-7 Team celebrating its 25th anniversary. It was also decided to keep the Airshow open every day for two weeks with a reduced demonstration program during the week and comprehensive static display for all interested parties. Thus the Air14 lasted with the training day a total of 10 days on which the Swiss display teams flew at least one demonstration. Air24 in the year 2024 returns to being a one weekend show.

Planning and organization

The planning for the Air14 started in 2009 with the approval of the then Defense Minister Ueli Maurer, head of the army André Blattmann and the then commanding officer of the Swiss Air Force, Markus Gygax. Ian Logan, who was already responsible for the Air04, was appointed General Director for the Air14. The current commander of Patrouille Suisse Nils "Jamie" Hämmerli, the commander of the PC-7 team Werner "Höffi" Hoffmann, coordinated (apart from the Patrouille Suisse for the then commander of the PS Daniel "Dani" Hösli was responsible for all demonstrations of the current resources of the Swiss Air Force. Jascha "José" Haller was responsible for the static display. The opening ceremony of the Air14 was held by the new commander of the Swiss air force, Aldo C. Schellenberg, together with Doris Leuthard in who is responsible for the department of civil aviation..

The Swiss Air Force had various partners for the airshow. These were, among others:Civil defense, Swiss Red Cross, Federal Office of Civil Aviation, Cantonal police Vaud, Cantonal police Canton of Fribourg, REGA, Swiss Federal Railways, Switzerland Tourism, Feldpost (Swiss Army), Fliegermuseum Altenrhein, Flieger-Flab-Museum, Musée de l’aviation militaire de Payerne, Télévision Suisse Romande.

For the Airshow, a transport concept has been developed with three parking areas close to the motorway exit Payerne and near the two adjacent motorway exits with free shuttle buses to the airshow. The Swiss Federal Railways used special trains for the Airshow. The airshow was broadcast live by the Télévision Suisse Romande and also shown as live-streaming on You Tube. Since the airshow had to be self-sustaining, on the one hand entry was demanded, on the other hand the fuelwas from the regular annual quota of the Swiss Air Force's fuelstock as well as the costs with sponsors. In return, the sponsors Henniez and Nestlé had the supply monopoly for food and drinks, but the local business was also taken into account. The Militärflugplatz Emmen acted as an alternate airbase e and as a base for various Swiss aircraft, which performed demonstrations at the Airshow. The Swiss Federal Railways was responsible for the online sale of tickets and combined railway/entry tickets.

Special

The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) provided a Re 460 locomotive with a special painting for the Air14. The Swiss Post also painted a Postautobus in a special finish for the Air14 and issued two special stamps for this occasion. Swissmint issued a special coin for the 50th anniversary of Patrouille Suisse.

For the Air14 various airworthy oldtimers received a painting that corresponded to that of the aircraft type in the service of the Swiss Air Force. The F/A-18C J-5014 received a color similar to that of Swiss Air Force aircraft in the Second World War. The J-5014 flew displays alone, or in a pair with the, as J-143-painted, Morane HB-RCF, which bore the neutrality painting with additional red and white stripes. Other couples were the FA-18C J-5014 with a Cougar or the Super Puma with the special painting of the Air Transport Squadron 4 (Lufttransportstaffel 4).

The PC-7 team presented a unique flight demonstration on September 7, 2014, when they presented a flight demonstration together with the Patrouille Suisse with a total of 15 aircraft. With a Boeing B-17 and a Morane painted in the then Swiss coloring, a historical event of the Second World War of a shoot-down of a bomber at Dübendorf was imitated. With Claude Nicollier and Chris Austin Hadfield, astronauts were also involved in the Air14. The Air14 had its own official song: One Hundred Years. Singer was the F/A-18 pilot "Jason" Stucki.

The Air14 was awarded a "Platinum Award" by the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) in December 2014 for the diverse flight program with the lively and dynamic presentation of 100 years of military air travel and the future-oriented transport and environmental concept.

Topics

The flight program was designed to be versatile for visitors who visited the event only one day, as well as for visitors who followed the program on all four main days. Each of these days should show a broad spectrum of the Swiss military aviation from the founding years to the present, as well as individual demonstrations, team demonstrations and special acts for the anniversary. Therefore, the program was subdivided into "Teams", "Jets", "Oldtimer Jets", "Propeller aircraft", "Helicopters", "Special demonstrations" and "Tribute 100 Years Military aviation". Each of these days had a theme and a color as well as a leitmotiv. This was also listed in the program, on the tickets as well as during specialist weekends on the respective topic:

• Saturday August 30, 2014 The Sky Outwatch (Green) – Reconnaissance in the past, today and the future.
• Sunday 31 August 2014 Above the Battlefilds (Amber) – Air to ground in the past, today and the future.
• Saturday 6 September 2014 The Spirit of Air Defense (Cyan) – Air Defense in the past, today and the future.
• Sunday September 7, 2014 Heavy Metal and Evolution (Purple) – Innovation and Air Transport in the past, today and the future.

The days between the weekends were also public. Some days had a focus on specific visitors, so they were designed for school classes, for people with disabilities and for various companies.

One of the tasks of Air14 was to show the visitors the professions in the Swiss Military and in the aviation industry of Switzerland. Therefore, the Swiss Military had set up tents in which the various (teaching) professions were shown. For this purpose, companies participating in Swiss aviation were also involved in the exhibition. These were, among others, the Swiss International Air Lines, Skyguide, REGA, RUAG, Pilatus Aircraft. In addition, various sections of the military and their tasks were presented to the visitors in static exhibitions. Such as the Military police, EOD, Swissint, CBRN defense. In addition to flying equipment, the Swiss Air Force was also present with ground-based systems such as the TAFLIR, IFAS- Comunicationsbeam- Piranha, FIM-92 Stinger, Oerlikon GDF mm with fire control unit Skyguard and RAPIER. The army was present with the Armoured recovery vehicle Buffalo, Leopard 2, M109, M113, Mowag Eagle, Mowag Piranha IB 6 × 6, Mowag Piranha 8x8, Mowag Duro GMTF, CV9030CH, Mobile Bridge and Mobile Rollway.

Program

At the Air14 various aircraft were shown both in the static display as well as in the flight program. Various aircraft from 1914 to 2014 from fighter over bomber to helicopter and experimental aircraft. Both in single demonstrations as well as in various shows. All former and current types of the Swiss Air Force as well as a large number of foreign air force. In addition, various aerobatic teams came together. The table below gives an insight into the teams which were part of the Air14 as well as all the demonstrations.

Aircraft	Country
Mirage 2000 Ramex Delta	France
Patrouille Suisse	Switzerland
PC-7 Team	Switzerland
Patrulla Águila	Spain
Patrouille de France	France
Breitling Jet Team	France
Wings of Storm	Croatia
Breitling Wingwalker	United Kingdom
Midnight Hawks	Finland
P3 Flyers	Switzerland
Royal Jordanian Falcons	Jordan
WeFly! Team	Italy
Al Fursan	United Arab Emirates
Frecce Tricolori	Italy
Falcons Para Jumpers	United Kingdom
Red Arrows	United Kingdom
F-16Solo Display Team	Netherlands

Criticism

The Air14 was criticized in advance from anti-military organizations and politicians.

Due to the Crimea Crisis the invitation of the Russian aerobatics team Russian Knights was criticized. Four weeks before the Air14, the Swiss air Force's leadership were forced by the Federal Council to recall their invitation.

References

1. Baumann, Fotos: Dominik. "Die grösste Flugshow Europas: Fliegen Sie über die Air14 - Blick".
2. https://www.miles-and-more.com/online/portal/mam/ch/program/news/detail?nodeid=2107854767&l=de
3. "Warum Oldtimer-Fans an die Airshow (AIR14 Payerne) pilgern sollten (Oldtimer-Blogartikel vom 04.09.2014)".
4. http://www.srf.ch/meteo/meteo-news/air14-flugmeeting-in-payerne
5. http://geschaeftsbericht.post.ch/14/ar/de/geschaeftsentwicklung/personenverkehrsmarkt/transportpartnerschaft.htm Swiss Post: Mit dem Postauto zu den Flugzeugen
6. http://www.fahnen-schoenwald.ch/air14-payerne-flugmeeting-air14.html
7. "Air '94 Buochs". aviatikphoto.ch (in German). Retrieved 2016-01-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |trans_title=, |day=, |month=, and |deadurl= (help)
8. "Air04 Payerne". swiss-wings.ch (in German). Retrieved 2016-01-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |trans_title=, |day=, |month=, and |deadurl= (help)
9. "Payerne von Fliegerfreunden überrannt". Blick (in German). Retrieved 2016-01-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |trans_title=, |day=, |month=, and |deadurl= (help)
10. intra. 2/14 Page 6
11. Fahrettin Calislar. "Es brummt und dröhnt am Himmel". Freiburger Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 2016-01-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |trans_title=, |day=, |month=, and |deadurl= (help)
12. "Flugmeeting AIR14". Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (in German). Retrieved 2016-01-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |trans_title=, |day=, |month=, and |deadurl= (help)
13. "Air 14 postauto - Google-Suche".
14. Air14PayerneOfficial (6 September 2014). "AIR14 Official Soundtrack" – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
15. "Von Schweizer Jägern abgeschossen - Warbird".
16. http://www.schule.sh.ch/fileadmin/Dokumente/Wochenbriefe/Einladung_Tag_der_Schuelerinne_8._und_9._Klasse.pdf
17. "Berufe der Schweizer Armee an der AIR14 - Visualdesign - Berufe der Schweizer Armee an der AIR14 -". 9 July 2016.
18. Christian van Singer. "Air 2014. Erhebliche Unterstützung des Bundes und Einladung von Schulklassen trotz fehlendem historischen Bezug". Die Bundesversammlung – Das Schweizer Parlament (in German). Retrieved 2016-01-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |trans_title=, |day=, |month=, and |deadurl= (help)
19. "Absage-an-die-Russischen-Ritter". Tagesanzeiger (in German). August 12, 2014. Retrieved 2016-01-16. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |deadurl= and |trans_title= (help)

Further reading

• "Swiss Precision: Jets Dazzle at Air Show". NBC News. August 30, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2017.

Bibliography

• Magazine Air14 Histoire Hommage Innovation
• Schweizer Luftwaffe, Jahrespublikation (Annual publication) 2015, Page. 71
• Schweizer Luftwaffe, Jahrespublikation (Annual publication) 2014, Page. 9–11
• Magazine intra, 2/14, Page. 4–9
• Magazine armee.ch, 2/14, Page. 2–13
• Demonstration program Air14

External links

• Air14 Payerne auf der Website der Schweizer Luftwaffe
• David Marquis: Den 100. Geburtstag feiern (PDF; 3,8 MB). In: armee.ch, Nr. 1/2013.

• Air shows
• Swiss Air Force