Payerne Air Base

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

History
Payerne AFB is the home of the milicia Northrop F-5 Squadron 6 Ducks, F/A-18 Fightersquadrons Sqd17 Falcons and Sqd18 Panthers and of the Transportsquadron LT1. Every aircrafttype of the Swiss Air Force can been seen operating from Payerne. It is home to the air investigation division of the Swiss Accident Investigation Board. Previously this was the head office of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, before its 2011 merger into the SAIB. Payerne operates also as alternate airport for the airport Bern-Belp for foreign government flights. Payerne is also the home base for the second (HB-SIB) Solar Impulse aircraft. On the ground of Payerne AFB is also the aviatic Museum Clin d'Ailes. Air Traffic Control is made by the military branch of Skyguide, Skyguide National. Payerne is responsible for the education of the ground crews (aircraft Mechanic,Airport Fire Fighter,..) of the Air Force. The A1 motorway (Switzerland) is connected via a taxiway at the hangar 5 with the airfield and can, if necessary, used as runway for take off - and landing. However, this possibility has never been used since the construction of the highway. The air base is, at both end of the runway, equipped with retractable Arresting gear devices (used by the F/A-18 and in case of a problem by the F-5).

In 2004 at Payerne AFB the international Air Show Air04 was held. From 30 August 2014 to 7 September 2014 the International Airshow Air14 took place at Payerne AFB. The Swiss Air Force Teams like the Patrouille Suisse, PC-7 Team and so on will fly their show every day additional to this on each week-end also foreign teams (for eg. Russian Knights), modern and historic aircraft will be shown in flight.

Inaugurated in 2013 at Payerne Airport, the company Swiss Space Systems aims to open a spaceport by 2015 and provide orbital launches of small satellites and suborbital spaceflights.

The Aviatic Museum Clin d'Ailes offers private flights with the Hawker Hunter Trainer J-4203 HB-RVW and the Mirage IIIDS J-2012 HB-RDF from Payerne.