Fliegerstaffel 17
Fliegerstaffel 17 17ème Escadrille Squadriglia d'aviazione 17 | |
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![]() F/A-18C J-5017 of the Fliegerstaffel 17 Falcons | |
Active | 1925-today |
Country | Switzerland |
Branch | Swiss Air Force |
Role | Fighter 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.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Dassault_Mirage_IIIS_Switzerland_-_Air_Force_J-2324%2C_LSMP_Payerne%2C_Switzerland_PP1242384735.jpg/220px-Dassault_Mirage_IIIS_Switzerland_-_Air_Force_J-2324%2C_LSMP_Payerne%2C_Switzerland_PP1242384735.jpg)
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
- On 24 March 1977, two Mirage III (J-2003 and J-2310) collided during a formation flight breakup over Payerne airfield. All parties involved survived the collision, including the commander-in-chief of the Fliegerstaffel 17 and future Chief of the Armed Forces, Christophe Keckeis.[2]
- On 29 August 2016, the F/ A-18C J-5022 hit the ground in the Susten Pass area shortly after take-off at Meiringen Air Base. Its pilot belonging to Fliegerstaffel 17 was killed. As an accident cause, a wrong altitude allocation of the Skyguide air traffic controller at the Tower Meiringen is assumed. The investigation is not yet[when?] completed.
Aircraft
- Häfeli DH-5
- Dewoitine D.27
- Fokker C.V
- C-35
- C3603
- C3604
- Morane D-3803
- de Havilland D.H.112 Venom
- Mirage IIIS
- F/A-18
References
- ^ "Luftwaffe testet Verteidigungsdispositiv auf Autobahn". www.vtg.admin.ch. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
- ^ Flavian Cajacob: "Christophe Keckeis - Ein Flieger mit Bodenhaftung". In: Handelszeitung, 15 November 2003
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official VBS page of the Fliegerstaffel 17
- Short report on former FlSt17-pilots
- Detailed report on the 90th anniversary of the Fliegerstaffel 17 and its history, Cockpit No.12 2015
- History of Squadron 17
- v
- t
- e
- Fliegerstaffel 1
- Fliegerstaffel 2
- Fliegerstaffel 3
- Fliegerstaffel 4
- Fliegerstaffel 5
- Fliegerstaffel 6
- Fliegerstaffel 7
- Fliegerstaffel 8
- Fliegerstaffel 9
- Fliegerstaffel 10
- Fliegerstaffel 11
- Zielflugstaffel 12
- Fliegerstaffel 13
- Fliegerstaffel 14
- Fliegerstaffel 15
- Fliegerstaffel 16
- Fliegerstaffel 17
- Fliegerstaffel 18
- Fliegerstaffel 19
- Fliegerstaffel 20
- Fliegerstaffel 21
- Fliegerstaffel 24