Karo-Aviation visits the "wiederholungskurs" at Meiringen 2020.
Article and pictures by Ronald de Roij

For aviation enthusiasts and plane spotters Meiringen Airbase is the place to be.

You’ll hardly find a place where closer and more spectacular views onto the fighter jets are possible. It is located in a small valley between spectacular high mountains. This valley is so deep and narrow that in the winter period the sun will not even reach the airbase.

The view from the base is breath-taking and spots to take pictures can be found everywhere around the base. From on the viewing terrace next to the hangers to up in the maintains for a spectacular view down on the base There is no real base fence, and it is possible to drive over the field, but please take care to where you are going and park your car, as most of the field around de base and the surrounding area are used by farmers. On the base there is also a base cafeteria “Fliegertreff “ with a viewing terrace and good food and coffee.

Besides missions flown with the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and the Northrop F-5E Tiger there is flight activity by the other fixed wing types off the Swiss air arm like the Pilatus PC-6, PC-7 and PC-9 aircraft.

And every now and then there is Helicopter activity from Meiringen with Eurocopter EC635, Super Puma and Super Cougar helicopters although visits are on a more regular basis as Meiringen is used as a refuelling point.

Information about the flying weeks and the amount off activity at the base can be found on the homepage of Airbase Command Meiringen. Take a good look as there are weeks with no flying at all and the F-5E Tiger only fly in specific periods. More information can be found here

During the WK the two Squadrons operate out of the caverns, and the jets do only appear outside with their pilots already sitting in the cockpit and ready to start the jet. Thus once the aircraft is out, the tow truck is being removed and the engines starts howling and the aircraft is ready within minutes to taxi.

This procedure considerably reduces the time the jet sits vulnerable on the ground in emergencies. For this purposes two full-scale Hugo Wolf F/A-18C simulators, tail numbers X-5098 and X-5099, are used as an interactive training simulator. They are fitted with specialised equipment to simulate various emergency scenarios for ground staff.

 
The airfield of Meiringen is one of only three fighter bases, along with Payerne Air Base and Emmen Air Base. It is the home fighter Fliegerstaffel 11 "Tiger", equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.

While the two other McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet squadrons Fliegerstaffel 17 and 18 are based in Payerne in Western Switzerland fighter Fliegerstaffel 11 operates from Meiringen Airbase  that is situated in the Heart of the Swiss Alps.

Also based at Meiringen is the Northrop F-5E Tiger mostly flown by personnel of Fliegerstaffel 19 they are used in the target towing role and as an adversary.

For these flights, the "Aggressor" Tigers do carry an external fuel tank painted in a high-visibility orange - or the scheme of the Patrouille Suisse to be better visible for their training partner.

During their refresher courses, the conscript organisation Air Base Command 13 works closely with the full-time professionals at the Meiringen Air Base Command to maintain air base operations, as could be seen during several exercises on the base.

Fliegerstaffel 11

The History of Fliegerstaffel 11 starts in the years of World War 2, when the Swiss Government decided to create an additional Wing in order to strengthen the air defence capabilities.

Three squadrons were formed, one of them being the Staffel 11, equipped with Morane D-3801. After the World War II, the Staffel remained operational and soon, in 1949 the dawn of the jet age arrived in the form of the DH Vampire. In 1952 the Staffel 11 was reorganised and given the designation Fliegerstaffel 11.

With the introduction of the Hawker Hunter in 1958, the Squadron role was extended to Air-to-Ground missions. Having now flown the F-5E since 1979 the unit's main role is to provide air superiority at low and medium altitudes, while interception remains its secondary function.

 Being a part of the Swiss Air Force Professional Aviators Corps, Fliegerstaffel 11 is one of the few professional Squadrons of the Swiss Air Force and operates in peacetime from Meiringen airbase. The Squadron transferred to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1999.

During the NATO Tiger Meet 2004 at Schleswig-Jagel Fliegerstaffel 11 was awarded full membership of the NATO Tiger Association. Something that was not that evident, since Switzerland is not a member of the NATO alliance.

Some off the pilots from Fliegerstaffel 11 are part of the PC-7 TEAM which is manly formed by active pilots from the different McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet units, explaining the frequent displays by the local Pilatus PC-7.