Locarno-Magadino Air Base
"Training Air Base of the Swiss Air Force"
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Text: |
Michael E. Fader |
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Pictures: |
Michael E. Fader |
The
third visit to a base of the Swiss Air Force began early for me - very
early. This time it was in the south of Switzerland at the airport
Magadino, the Swiss Air Force use the Base as a training base for their
pilots. Usually such visits are in the afternoon, this visit was made in
the morning. For me, means this getting up at 4:00 clock to cross the
whole of Switzerland. I live in Basel on the northern border of
Switzerland, while Locarno is located in the far south. But the effort
was worth it!
Our group of only four spotters was quite small and manageable by our Tour Guide Guido when we arrived in Ticino, after a long journey. Still, all was quiet on the training base Magadino. The planes were ready on the tarmac for flight operations. Eight Pilatus NCPC-7 trainers, three PC-9 and two PC-6 Turbo Porter standing at the apron. Around 8:00 clock the first pilot’s arrived and the ground crew got each aircraft clear for take-off. In two pairs, all together four pilots boarded their planes. A little later a further four pilots got there planes and then took off for a "Four-Ship" formation practice flying.
As the region around Locarno is surrounded by high mountains, the Lago Maggiore was selected as an ideal training area. This meant, however, that a flying permit from the authorities in Italy had to be obtained, since the training area stood under Italian airspace control.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Following planes were in use
during our visit:
Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter V-620 & V-631
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer A918, A-919, A-922, A-930, A-933, A-935,
A-936, A-940
Pilatus PC-9 C-406, C-407 (mit Schleppwinde) C-408
NCPC-7 Turbo Trainer
The Pilatus NCPC-7 is the standard trainer of the Swiss Air Force. All pilots begin their flight training on this basic training aircraft. In October 2006, the Air Force received the first two converted PC-7 with a new cockpit (NCPC-7). The foundations for this project were laid in 2002 with a study on the modernization of the existing PC-7 fleet.
On 29th February 2008, all
18 converted NCPC-7 (A-924 - A-941) where handed over in a small
ceremony to the Air Force (A-912 - A-923). Same day contracts for the
modernization of ten more PC-7 were signed. This second installment was
successfully implemented in 2009.
Since 2007, the flying clarification (selection) occurs, and basic
training in the pilot school with the NCPC-7 entirely takes place in
Locarno. However, during our visit the PC-7 were flown by experienced
front pilots with additional training and not by flying students.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-930 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-930 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-930 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-930 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-922 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-922 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-918 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus NCPC-7 A-936 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter
The Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter - which was developed from the P-6 Porter - is the ultimate "workhorse" of the Swiss Air Force. Each base has at least one aircraft as the "Squadron hack". Today the Porter aircraft are used primarily for passenger and equipment transport and for the settling of parascouts. In previous years, the Porter was in use as a Firefighter, equipped with large water tanks for fighting forest fires.
After the procurement of six PC-6 / B2-H2M Turbo Porter in 1976 (V-630 to V-635) the 12 existing piston engine-Porter P-6 / H2M where refitted with the more powerful propeller turbines in 1980-1981, which means that they were Retrofitted PC-6 / B2-H2M-1 Turbo-Porters.
Magadino serves in part also as a training reconnaissance units; In particular the discontinuation of parachutists is practiced. The members of the secret reconnaissance units were not allowed to be photographed for security reasons. We therefore contented ourselves with shots of the two Turbo Porter only. All the PC-6 Turbo Porter are belonging to the air transport squadron 7 of the Swiss Air Force.
Pilatus PC-6 #V-631 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 #V-631 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 #V-631 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 #V-631 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 #V-620 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 #V-631 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 #V-631 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-6 #V-631 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9
The opposite of the PC-7 performance was the PC-9 witch was used for multiple tasks. The aircraft were bought as a replacement of the obsolete EKW C-36-05 target tug aircrafts. For this reason, the PC-9 also has weapons stations where the towed target winch RM-12 or RM-24 can be fitted. The C-407 was not seen in this configuration in Locarno.
With the two different winds a tow target can be deployed and towed behind the aircraft. The gunners of the anti-aircraft batteries can target these drag bags and can - if all safety requirements have been met - also trigger with sharp rounds! Target flight missions are also held at night. Such missions as a target tug can take up to three practice-hours.
In addition, the PC-9 is also used as a training aircraft in formation flight as C-406 and C-408th. Another variant is the yellow-black stripped PC-9 with the identifications C-409 to C-412, equipped with the powerful Ericsson Erijammer A-100 jammer pod VISTA. Sadly we didn’t have the chance to see one of this special aircrafts this morning in Magadino.
Hopefully next time.
Already in 2012, the PC-9 fleet was reduced from eleven to eight aircrafts. The C-401 was passed as a gift to the “Flieger Flab Museum in Dübendorf”, while the C-402 to C-404 today serving as a source of spare parts.
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Two PC-9 on the Tarmac(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-408 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-407 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Two PC-9 on the Tarmac(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-407 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-407 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-407 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-407 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
(Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-407 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-406 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-408 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-406 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-408 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-406 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-408 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)
Pilatus PC-9 #C-408 (Picture courtesy Michael E. Fader)