The first week-end of September 2004 will long be remembered as the week-end during which another of the legendary Swiss airshows like the one in Sion 1997 took place. This year it was time for AIR04 at the Swiss Air Force base Payerne. For the 90th anniversary of the Swiss Air Force (SAF) , the 40th anniversary of the Patrouille Suisse and the 15th of the PC-7 a really impressive programm was presented to the crowd.
Where? Payerne - Switzerland When? 04-05/09/2004
I am pretty sure that every one of the 275.000 visitors will remember this event for a very long time. The show was the biggest one on the European continent this year with 67 flight demonstrations during the week-end. 6 jet display teams and numerous jet aircraft filled a flight program from 9 in the morning until 5pm, with only a short break at around midday that was just long enough to queue for a sandwich and a drink.
Saturday's display was mainly packed with jet action during the day. The search of the SAF for a successor of the ageing F-5 Tigers attracted 3rd generation jets like the Eurofighter, Rafale, Gripen and F/A-18F Super Hornet to come the Payerne and fight with their flight demo for the favour of the crowd and the officials. And with a lot of gadgets as well, of course.
Besides this 'competitions' a rare display of the Finish AF F/A-18 could also be admired, as well as the most impressive F-15 Eagle West Coast Demo display. F-16s from the Netherlands and Belgium participated also, as well a a French Mirage 2000 that also flew an air-air refuelling demo with a French KC-135 and a Swiss F-18 Hornet. The former Swiss military aviation was represented in the flight display with a formation of 4 Hunters and a Vampire. But the big event on Saturday was the mass formation fly-by of all the national display teams that were on place which gathered for a huge and unforgettable overfly of 40 jets. Sunday was dominated by the display teams of whom 6 could be seen during the day, let alone all the numerous jet fighter action. The organisation of the flight program was on both days excellent with a nice mix of jets, displays teams, vintage aircraft and helicopters. And if everybody has forgotten about the traffic jams Air04 will remain a marvellous Airshow in everybodies mind!
It is a bit of a shame The Swiss do not very often organize Airshows like this one.. but when they do, they do it with Swiss precision and in style!
Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet
---- ---- ---- ----
---- ---- ---- ----
Eurofighter Typhoon
---- ---- ---- ----
Dassault Rafale
---- ---- ---- ----
Saab Gripen
---- ---- ---- ----
Mirage 2000
---- ---- ---- ----
F-15C West Coast Demo Team
---- ---- ---- ----
---- ---- ---- ----
Finish F/A-18A Hornet
---- ---- ---- ----
Swiss F-18C Hornet
---- ---- ---- ----
British Harrier GR7
---- ---- ---- ----
Belgian F-16A
---- ---- ---- ----
Dutch F-16C Fighting Falcon
---- ---- ---- ----
Patrouille des Patrouille
---- ---- ---- ----
Patrouille Suisse
---- ---- ---- ----
---- ---- ---- ----
---- ---- ---- ----
PC-7 Team
---- ---- ---- ----
Red Arrows
---- ---- ---- ----
Frecce Tricolori
---- ---- ---- ----
Team 60
---- ---- ---- ----
Patrulla Aguilla
---- ---- ---- ----
---- ---- ---- ----
Team Breitling
---- ---- ---- ----
Hunters & Vampires
---- ---- ---- ----
Fouga Display
---- ---- ---- ----
Breitling Super Constellation
---- ---- ---- ----
Pilatus PC-12
---- ---- ---- ----
Bo 105
---- ---- ---- ----
Supar Puma
---- ---- ---- ----
Agusta A109
---- ---- ---- ----
French Air Force - KC-135F + Mirage 2000 & Swiss F-18C
The Meeting du Centenaire – "Meeting of the Centennial" – was announced as a big celebration of the first airshow held at Reims in August 1909, celebrated at the location that is today the airbase BA112 of…Read More
Fly Navy !!! Every year on the Wednesday before the RIAT the RNAS Culdrose helds ist annual Airday. RNAS Culdrose is located in the west of Cornwall near Helston, only a short hop from Land's End.…Read More
Flight Test Nation 2009 astounded 225,000 visitors from across the world as they got the opportunity to see some of the nation's newest aircraft along with various historical ones. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the…Read More
The CIAF (Czech International Air Fest) celebrated ist 15th anniversary in 2008. After having started at the then still military airfield Hradec Kralove it moved in 2003 to the civil airport of Brno, around 200km…Read More
I am pretty sure that every one of the 275.000 visitors will remember this event for a very long time. The show was the biggest one on the European continent this year with 67 flight demonstrations during the week-end. 6 jet display teams and numerous jet aircraft filled a flight program from 9 in the morning until 5pm, with only a short break at around midday that was just long enough to queue for a sandwich and a drink.
Saturday's display was mainly packed with jet action during the day. The search of the SAF for a successor of the ageing F-5 Tigers attracted 3rd generation jets like the Eurofighter, Rafale, Gripen and F/A-18F Super Hornet to come the Payerne and fight with their flight demo for the favour of the crowd and the officials. And with a lot of gadgets as well, of course.
Netherlands and Belgium participated also, as well a a French Mirage 2000 that also flew an air-air refuelling demo with a French KC-135 and a Swiss F-18 Hornet. The former Swiss military aviation was represented in the flight display with a formation of 4 Hunters and a Vampire. But the big event on Saturday was the mass formation fly-by of all the national display teams that were on place which gathered for a huge and unforgettable overfly of 40 jets. Sunday was dominated by the display teams of whom 6 could be seen during the day, let alone all the numerous jet fighter action. 
The organisation of the flight program was on both days excellent with a nice mix of jets, displays teams, vintage aircraft and helicopters. And if everybody has forgotten about the traffic jams Air04 will remain a marvellous Airshow in everybodies mind!
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
---- 
