Fliegerstaffel 17

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Fliegerstaffel 17
17ème Escadrille
Squadriglia d'aviazione 17
Swiss F-A-18 20100724- DSC8620 (4831669660).jpg
F/A-18C J-5017 of the Fliegerstaffel 17 Falcons
Active1925-today
CountrySwitzerland
Branch Swiss Air Force
RoleFighter squadron
Garrison/HQ Payerne Air Base

Fliegerstaffel 17 (No. 17 Squadron) "Falcons" of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron of professional pilots flying McDonnell Douglas F/A-18. Together with Fliegerstaffel 6 it forms Fliegergeschwader 11. The home base of the squadron is Payerne Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 17 features a red falcon on a white ground with the black number 17 as its coat of arms.

Contents

History

Mirage IIIS with a squadron badge of the Fliegerstaffel17 on the tail Dassault Mirage IIIS Switzerland - Air Force J-2324, LSMP Payerne, Switzerland PP1242384735.jpg
Mirage IIIS with a squadron badge of the Fliegerstaffel17 on the tail

From 1925 to 1939 the unit, which was founded as interception aviation company 17 (Jagd-Flieger-Kompanie 17), was equipped with eight Häfeli DH-5s and a Dewoitine D-27. From 1939 to 1942, flights were operated with C-35 and Fokker CV from Belinzona, Littau, Rümlang, Weinfelden, Hilfikon, Spreitenbach and other then airfields. In 1942 they were trained to fly the C-3603 at their new home, Buochs Air Base. From 1945 to 1947 its flight operations with C-3603 were carried out from Raron. In the post-war period, the interception company 17 was transferred into No. 3 squadron of the UeG (Überwachungsgeschwader) and used various aircraft types, among them the Morane D‐3800 from 1947 to 1955 and the C-3604 from 1947 to 1956.

In 1952, today's Fliegerstaffel 17 was founded as a unit of pilots only. The first jet aircraft operations of the Fliegerstaffel 17 were taken up from 1955 with De Havilland D.H. 112 Mk 4 Venom on Buochs Air Base and Militärflugplatz Emmen, which continued until 1967. In 1963, the "Falcon" was introduced as a new squadron emblem. From 1969 to 1975, flight operations were conducted with Mirage IIIS from Turtmann Air Base, followed by a period at Payerne Air Base from 1976 to 1997. After that it became the first squadron of the Swiss Air Force flying the F/A-18 Hornet. At the end of 2005, the Überwachunggeschwader was disbanded and its units were transferred to the similar Berufsfliegerkorps. In 2010, the F/A-18C with the tailnumber J-5017 received a permanent squadron painting. In normal flight operation the J-5017 is given priority to the pilots of Fliegerstaffel 17, but is also flown by other pilots. If the current F/A-18 Hornet Solo Display pilot is from the Fliegerstaffel 17, he will fly the J-5017, if available.

The co-founder of the F/A-18 Hornet solo display and head of flight safety Stéphane Rapaz is a pilot at Fliegerstaffel 17. From 2000 to 2002 was, the of today 's Divisional general, Claude Meier commander of the Fliegerstaffel 17.

On the 5 June 2024, the Fliegerstaffel 17 performed landing and take-off exercise on the Payerne A1 section of the motorway. [1]

Accidents

Aircraft

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Payerne Air Base</span> Airport

Payerne Airport is a military airfield of the Swiss Air Force north of Payerne in Switzerland, located approximately halfway between Lausanne and Bern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meiringen Air Base</span> Airport

Meiringen Air Base, also known as the Unterbach Military Airfield, is a Swiss military airbase located near the hamlet of Unterbach and the town of Meiringen, in the canton of Bern. It is one of three main airbases of the Swiss Air Force.

In the Swiss Air Force, an aircraft usually isn't deployed permanently to a given Squadron, which is especially true of the [militia] squadrons who are not permanently in service. Aircraft are used across several squadrons. Even the aircraft related to the Squadron, such as the F/A-18C J-5017 from 17 Squadron, will be used by other squadrons. Older aircraft will often be retired from front-line service to support squadrons, for example, the Hawker Hunter from a fighter-bomber to a target tug. Two full-scale Hugo Wolf F/A-18C simulators, tail numbers X-5098 and X-5099, are non-flying training simulators for ground crew and not part of any squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 1</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 1 was a professional military pilots squadron, belonging to the Überwachungsgeschwader of the Swiss Air Force until its last service in 2003. At that point, it was equipped with Northrop F-5 and used the military airfield of Turtmann as a designated war base. Fliegerstaffel 1 carried a stylized Vogel Rokh as its coat of arms, a red background and a white figure 1 completed their emblem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 2</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 2 was using Hawker Hunter aircraft for the Swiss Air Force at the time of disbandment. Its pilots origined from French-speaking Switzerland and its home was the military airfield of Turtmann then. As a coat of arms, Fliegerstaffel 2 used a white bird taken from the one of Gruyère District on a red background surrounded by a motto saying "En Avant, Advienne Que Pourra". 2ème Escadrille.

Fliegerstaffel 3 of the Swiss Air Force belonged to the Überwachungsgeschwader, thus professional military pilots were grouped in the unit. Their home base on disbandment was Sion and the aircraft flown were the Mirage III RS. Fliegerstaffel 3 carried the AMIR badge as their coat of arms. This badge shows a falcon head drawn in black lines on white ground, the neck of which is filled with blue color. The beak rises above the round badge, above the head of the falcon is the red number 3. Except for the number 3, the badge is identical to the AMIR badge of Fliegerstaffel 10 and Fliegerstaffel 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 4</span> Military unit

The Fliegerstaffel 4 of the Swiss Air Force, and belonged to the Überwachungsgeschwader with professional military pilots. Their home base at the dissolution was the Payerne Air Base and the Fliegerstaffel 4 was equipped with Mirage IIIRS. The Fliegerstaffel 4 carried as the coat of arms the AMIR badge. This badge shows on a white ground a falcon head drawn with black lines, the neck of which is filled with blue color. The beak rises above the round badge, above the head of the falcon is the red number 4. Except for the number 4, the badge is identical to the AMIR badge of the Fliegerstaffel 10 and the Fliegerstaffel 3.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 5</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 5 was a unit of the Swiss Air Force. It belonged to the Überwachungsgeschwader with professional military pilots. It was equipped with the Hawker Hunter. Its home base was Interlaken Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 5 carried as a coat of arms a black lynx with yellow eyes, which stretched its right paw with claws. From his mouth came red flames, which went into the background. The badge was round and had a white base. Under the lynx was written in black 5ème escadrille. Later, the badge was changed into a shield-shaped coat-of-arms with a stylized lynx head, often mistaken as a dragon head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 6</span> Unit of Swiss Air Force

The Fliegerstaffel 6 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and is together with the Fliegerstaffel 18 part of the Fliegergeschwader 14. The home base of the Fliegerstaffel 6 is Payerne Air Base. As coat of arms, the Fliegerstaffel 6 carried since 1940 a marching duck, with a proudly swollen breast carrying a halberd. The "Jusqu'au bout" motto means until the bitter end. Before this badge, it was first a six-pointed star with a witch on her flying broom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 8</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 8 «Vandalos» is a Swiss Air Force militia squadron, equipped with Northrop F-5E and forms Fliegergeschwader 13 with Fliegerstaffel 11. The home base of the unit is Meiringen Air Base. As coat of arms, the Fliegerstaffel 8 carries as a red sawfish, floating through the lower opening of a black number 8 on a white ground. The sawfish is called Vandalo.

The Fliegerstaffel 9 of the Swiss Air Force was in its end equipped with de Havilland Venom Combat Aircraft. Their home base at the dissolution was the Sion Airport. The Fliegerstaffel 9 carried as coat of arms the side view of a red witch riding on a red broom. On a rectangular dark blue background. The witch and the broom were drawn without curves. Beneath the witch stands a flight of fliers with white writing. In the upper right corner is a white square 9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 10</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 10 was a Swiss Air Force unit consisting of professional military pilots, belonging to the Überwachungsgeschwader. Their home base at the dissolution was the Military Airfield at Buochs, where ist was equipped with Mirage IIIRS. Fliegerstaffel 10 carried as their coat of arms the AMIR badge. This badge shows on a white ground a falcon head drawn with black lines, the neck of which is filled with blue color. The beak rises above the round badge, above the head of the falcon is a number 10 in red. Except for the number 10, the badge is identical to the AMIR badge of the Fliegerstaffel 3 and the Fliegerstaffel 4.

Fliegerstaffel 11 (Tigers) of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron equipped with F/A-18 combat jets and, together with Fliegerstaffel 8, is part of Fliegergeschwader 13. The home base of Fliegerstaffel 11 is Meiringen Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 11 is a full member of the NATO Tiger Association and carries a coat of arms depicting a Tiger head on a black background and the wordmark Staffel 11 below the tiger head as its crest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zielflugstaffel 12</span> Military unit

Zielflugstaffel 12, former known as Fliegerstaffel 12 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and Pilatus PC-9 and part of the Flugplatzkommando 7. The home base of the unit is Militärflugplatz Emmen. As coat of arms, the Zielflugstaffel carries a badge with a yellow and black target pattern, a bullseye and the writing "Zfl St 12".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 13</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 13 of the Swiss Air Force was equipped with Northrop F-5 flown by militia pilots when disbanded in 2000. Their home base at the dissolution was Payerne Air Base. Fliegerstaffel 13 wore a shield-shaped insignia with a blue outer edge, showing an eagle with wings spread out and open claws ready to capture its prey, against a white background, with the red number 13 in front of the upper wing. The old emblem was round with an orange background and black border. It showed the stylized side view of a black wasp looking in the direction of the viewer; over its head was the number 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 15</span> Military unit

The late Fliegerstaffel 15 of the Swiss Air Force was active until 1994 and equipped with Hawker Hunter aircraft. The home base of their last service was the airfield at St. Stephan. The Fliegerstaffel 15 carried as their coat of arms a paper aircraft on a blue ground with a red "15". The old badge of the FlSt15 was a black bird of prey with white background and two red circles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 16</span> Military unit

The Fliegerstaffel 16 of the Swiss Air Force was last equipped with Northrop F-5 F aircraft. Their home base was Sion Airport. The Fliegerstaffel 16 had a shield-shaped coat of arms showing the side view of a black dragon with a red eye, red claws, and a red firebeam in front of the white digit 16 and a dark blue background. The old badge was the same, but in round design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 18</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 18 «Panthers» of the Swiss Air Force is a Berufsfliegerkorps squadron equipped with McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 and forms Fliegergeschwader 14 together with Fliegerstaffel 19. The home base of the Fliegerstaffel 18 is Payerne Air Base. The Fliegerstaffel 18 carries a Black Panther against a green backdrop as its coat of arms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 19</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 19 of the Swiss Air Force is a militia squadron equipped with Northrop F-5E and forms together with Fliegerstaffel 18 Fliegergeschwader 14. The home base of the fliegerstaffel 19 is Sion Airport. The "Fliegerstaffel 19" carries as a coat of arms a stylized swan on a blue background.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fliegerstaffel 21</span> Military unit

Fliegerstaffel 21 was a Swiss Air Force squadron equipped with Hawker Hunter aircraft at the dissolution in 1994. Their home base was at the Raron Military Airfield. As a coat of arms, Fliegerstaffel 21 carried a white beaver, firing two guns while riding a red shark. On the shark is the black digit 21.

References

  1. ↑ "Luftwaffe testet Verteidigungsdispositiv auf Autobahn". www.vtg.admin.ch. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
  2. ↑ Flavian Cajacob: "Christophe Keckeis - Ein Flieger mit Bodenhaftung". In: Handelszeitung , 15 November 2003
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