Axalp 10/11 October

[Flanker27]

according to http://www.flugzeugforum.de/forum/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the show was stopped early due to bad weather today, but should go on tomorrow.

[PIK Flyer]

according to http://www.flugzeugforum.de/forum/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the show was stopped early due to bad weather today, but should go on tomorrow.

Yes, a live report from the Axalp area (courtesy of wi-fi in hotel).

Firstly, apologies for not posting a link to the webcam, I had already left home. Snow had all gone by a couple of days before the show.

Indeed the show was curtailed on the Wednesday - climbed up very early, arrived before flying started - morning had some practice firing runs in good weather including F-18 firing at a target towed by an F-5. Morning flying finished much earlier than normal - a long lunch lying in the sun, then just as the show started, the cloud moved in - not too bad at first but progessively worse. Flying was stopped after about an hour.

I spent today at Meiringen and it looked like things went ahead in full. It looked very misty though. Unlike last year the F-18s were not flying from Meiringen, presumably the two that showed up were flying from Payerne. Nice to see 10 F-5s flying from Meiringen plus the two Patrouille Suisse ones with target towing pods.

[Thor]

... the F-18s were not flying from Meiringen...

It is correct. For the whole week the F/A-18s were based in Payerne AB, as a Swiss military told me. The reason, I suppose after I saw a "noise map" about Hornets take off, is that local people seems to hate the Hornet noise...

I saw the map in Brienz. The Meiringen future won't be too pink...

Anyway it was a nice airshow, less nice than the 2006 edition, but still unique in the world...

[swissmember]

It is correct. For the whole week the F/A-18s were based in Payerne AB, as a Swiss military told me. The reason, I suppose after I saw a "noise map" about Hornets take off, is that local people seems to hate the Hornet noise...
I saw the map in Brienz. The Meiringen future won't be too pink... ...

Another other reason is that the Fliegerstaffel 11 and the groundcrew of Meiringen airbase has only few pilots personal for continuous flying operations.

The environmental activist "Franz Weber" has launch an acclamation (called Volksinitiative) to forbidden all jets from tourist area during times of peace. The problem is, whole switzerland is a tourist area.... However, the citizen of switzerland can vote next February about this acclamation. If the citizen for it, the air force must close Sion and Meiringen and retained Emmen and maybe Dübedorf for jets. The futur of SwissAF is uncertain.

[Anyway it was a nice airshow, less nice than the 2006 edition, but still unique in the world...

Why do you think, that the show was less nice than 2006? The show was great on Thursday.

[Thor]

Why do you think, that the show was less nice than 2006? The show was great on Thursday.

I watched all three days: 9, 10 and 11. The last one was the lucky one, with nice weather (but with white clouds/fog on west side... ).
But, I think, previous edition was richer: French Mirage, a best Hornet solo, lower flights, more show, less "holes" during the morning... Or, maybe, the weather was soo good that all seams "golden"...
Probably Switzerland has the same problem all Western countries have: less money...
But, anyway, was a nice show and worth the three climbs... It will be nice to have an "Axalp" in every country...

[PIK Flyer]

Can you post a link of the webcams please?

Sorry I didnt get a chance to post this before I set off but hopefully the links below may be of some help for those attending next year.

As far as I can see, there is no webcam at the top of Ebenfluh (perhaps a suggestion for the Swiss Air Force - it must be about the only thing they havent thought of!)

Some of the local webcams are quite helpful though.

The Alpen Tower is at the top of a mountain at the end of the Meiringen valley. At 2250m its about the same height as Ebenfluh and you can see on their webcam what the weather is like for the area. They seem to have changed to a single scanning camera (previously they had several fixed ones). At one point, you can see the runway at Meiringen in the valley far below if the weather is clear. You can get this one at

http://www.alpentower.ch/livecam/en.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is a camera at one of the hotels in Axalp village - those of you who were there this year will probably recognise the view (except that they've cleared away all the tables and chairs from the terrace today)- you'll get this one at

http://www.swisswebcams.ch" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (and search for Axalp) - its the one marked Sommer- und Winterparadies.

If you click on the other one you find then click on the picture to link to the original site, there are several cams in the area. The quality is not so good but if you select the one called Giessbach Axalp, you will get a view from Brienz towards the Ebenfluh/Tschingel peaks. It allows you to play with the dates as well so you can see what the weather has been like over the previous week or two. (Remember if you go back to this camera to check the date as it doesnt always update automatically.)

One of the best quality cameras is further along the lake above Interlaken. It's in Beatenberg and faces towards the Eiger/Monch/Jungfrau mountains. The weather here is usually similar to Axalp so you will get a good idea of the situation. As well as showing the current situation, it saves a shot at 15:00 daily and you can check the archive for several years back. You'll find this one at

http://www.birkli.ch/webcam/webcam_main_all.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Finally, nothing to do with Axalp but I found this one useful, it gives links to webcams at many of the Swiss private airfields.

http://www.motorfliegen.ch/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (and click on webcams)

Hopefully all the links will work ok - I did check they were all working before I posted.

Here's to next year!