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The Zigermeet 2019 was dominated by the current evaluation of a new fighter aircraft for the Swiss Air Force (Air2030-NKF). All five participants in this evaluation were to varying degrees present in Mollis. The largest airshow in Switzerland celebrated already the seventh edition and was held on 16th and 17th August 2019 against the background of two beautiful late summer days with agreeable temperatures. It turned out to be an event of superlatives with pilots, aircrafts and spectators emanating from a multitude of countries. According to official sources, an estimated 30'000 spectators (10‘000 on Friday and 20‘000 on Saturday) attended this extraordinary event.
Eurofighter vs Rafale
Boeing (F/A-18E) was only present with an information booth while Lockheed-Martin sent a full size mock-up of the F-35 to the event. Clearly the main attraction of the static display was the Airbus A400M „Atlas“ of the German Air Force whose huge size attracted enormous interest among the public. Parked immediately next to the „Atlas“ were an Eurofighter of the German Air force and an Eurofighter mock-up in the colors of the Royal Air Force. The Eurofighter was flown by a regular squadron pilot of the German Air Force who was unable to demonstrate the full capabilities of the aircraft. In contrast, the pilots of the two French Dassault Rafale C already checked out the limits of a display in the relatively narrow valley when they arrived on Thursday. This then resulted in very spectacular demonstrations on the following days.
Of all the flight demonstrations, the Rafale C of the Armee de l’Air clearly showed its superiority.
Airbus Eurofighter (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Airbus Eurofighter (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Airbus Eurofighter (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Airbus Eurofighter (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan
Airbus Eurofighter (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)
Airbus Eurofighter (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Airbus Eurofighter (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Dassault Rafale C (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Saab
Although Saab’s participation in the evaluation for a new fighter was prematurely terminated by the evaluation committee of Air 2030/NKF, this manufacturer was nevertheless present in Mollis with the Saab Gripen and an older generation two-seat Saab Viggen from the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight. The Viggen (Thunder) was a fighter and ground attack aircraft and was in active duty with the Swedish Air Force (Svenska Flygvapnet) until June 2007 when it was replaced by the Saab JAS-39 Gripen.
The Gripen proceeded to deliver a very impressive demonstration in the narrow valley of Glarus. The type initially earmarked for the fighter aircraft evaluation (Air2030-NKF), i.e. the JAS-39Gripen E, made its first flight only on June 15, 2019 and is not yet on active duty. In a direct comparison with the Viggen, the Gripen demonstrated the substantially increased agility of a more modern fighter aircraft.
Saab Viggen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)
Saab Viggen (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Saab Viggen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)
Saab Viggen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan)
Saab Gripen (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Saab Gripen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Saab Gripen (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Saab Gripen (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Baltic Bees
The Baltic Bees Jet Team is a civilian aerobatic team which is stationed in Tukums, Latvia, a town situated about 60 km to the west of the capital Riga. This team visited Switzerland this year for the first time and is equipped with six Czech Aero L-39 „Albatros“ aircrafts. The team was founded in the year 2008 and initially consisted of 4 aircrafts. In the following years, 2 more aircrafts were added to the team and they began to perform a full-fledged aerobatic program. In view of the close proximity of the mountains in Mollis, the team performed their program at a relatively high altitude.
On Friday, the team experienced a technical problem with one of the aircrafts and could only fly with 5 jets. On Saturday, all six aircrafts were in action. Unfortunately, the absence of any meaningful wind meant that the excessive smoke generated by the team stuck in the valley for an exceedingly long time.
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
The special Moment
"Voler avec les Oiseaux" is the name of a performance by Christian Moullec. Together with his wife Paola, he drew the attention of the public to the behavior and the migration pattern of birds in a rather spectacular fashion. To this end, he trained a flock of geese and cranes to accompany him in an Ultralight craft and recorded these flights photographically. The birds were present in Mollis and accompanied Christian Moullec in several passes over the airfield. An absolutely unique demonstration and a nice contrast to the noisy jets.
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Swiss Air Force
The F/A-18 of the Swiss Air Force was „at home“ in Mollis. The display pilot, Nicolas „Vincent“ Rossier of Squadron 17 in Payerne is used to fly in narrow valleys. Captain Rossier is a member of Squadron 17 since 2008. He spent 3 years as an exchange pilot with the French Armee de l’Air and flew the Mirage 2000-5. The display in Mollis clearly showed that the McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C Hornet is still a very capable and agile aircraft which Captain Rossier demonstrated in an outstanding way.
Peter Lewis, the well-known photographer, took advantage of the presence of a North American OV-10C Bronco to take air-to-air shots of the F/A-18C.
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Patrouille Suisse and Tiger Hunter
That is it not easy to fly in a narrow valley could also be noticed when watching the demonstration by the Patrouille Suisse. Several of the usual manoeuvres could not be executed or had to be adjusted to suit the terrain. Overall, the team did however a fairly good job and showed a nice program although the precision of some manoeuvres could have been better, particulary when performing the “Shadow” manoeuvre. However, the formation flight with the Tiger Hunter was attractive and memorable.
The Tiger Hunter, i.e. Hunter T.Mk.68 J-4206, was retired from active service on 16th December 1994 after completing only 1523 flying hours. It remained, together with four other aircrafts (J-4032, J-4082, J-4201, J-4203), in storage with the Swiss Air Force and on 14th June 1995 was flown from Payerne to Buochs where it remained for 2 years. On 2nd April 1997, J-4206 was flown together with the other four Hunters to Raron and kept there in a cavern. In autumn 2001, J-4206 was handed over to the „Hunter Flying Group in Altenrhein. After a remarkable effort to restore the aircraft to flying condition at the Raron airfield, Upon completion, it was pulled on to the meanwhile shortened runway and immediately flown to Altenrhein under the new civilian registration HB-RVV. Today, this Tiger Hunter is a very popular guest at many European airshows.
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Aerobatic Teams and Solo Displays
The many airshow visitors at this former military air base had the opportunity to see up close the displays of a number of modern as well as historic aircrafts and helicopters – this against the backdrop of an impressive mountain scenery. But also the static display on the large apron in front of the RUAG- and COPTER Hangars attracted masses of interested people.
A number of aerobatic teams demonstrated their skills. Among them CAPTENS with two Cap 10 aircrafts flown by Marianne and Adam Shaw, Krila Oluje (Wings of Storm) from Croatia with 6 Pilatus PC-9M, Team Niebergall with a SIAI Marchetti SF-260 and an identical radio-controlled model aircraft flown by father and son Ralf and Nico Niebergall, P3 Flyers with 5 Pilatus P-3 aircrafts from the canton of Ticino, Flying Bulls Aerobatic Team from the Czech Republic with 4 XtremeAir XA42, Patrouille REVA from Colmar and many more.
CAP-10 Captens (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Pilatus PC-9 Krila-Oluje (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Pilatus PC-9 Krila-Oluje (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Pilatus PC-9 Krila-Oluje (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Team-Niebergall (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader
Team-Niebergall (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Robair Mollis (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Pilatus P-3 & Superpuma(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Superpuma (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader
Superpuma (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Superpuma (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader
North American P-51D Mustang(Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Mustang & Hunter (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Mil Mi-24 Hind (Picture courtesy Saichol Krai-amat)
Mil Mi-17 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader
Flying Bulls Aerobatic Team (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
MBB BO-105 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader
Patrouille Reva (Picture courtesy Chakrit Samithinan )
Grumman TBM-3E Avenger (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader
All in all, the seventh edition of the Zigermeet was again an impressive and well-organized airshow.
We wish to thank Jürg Huber for the excellent cooperation and support on the two show days.