Air04 Payerne

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.

Air04

Where? Payerne - Switzerland
When? 04-05/09/2004

SwissCrowdI 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.

SmileSaturday'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 DrinkNetherlands 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. BurnerThe 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

001 ---- 002 ---- 003 ---- 004 ---- 005
006 ---- 007 ---- 008 ---- 009 ---- 010

Eurofighter Typhoon

011 ---- 012 ---- 013 ---- 014 ---- 015

Dassault Rafale

016 ---- 017 ---- 018 ---- 019 ---- 020

Saab Gripen

021 ---- 022 ---- 023 ---- 024 ---- 025

Mirage 2000

026 ---- 027 ---- 028 ---- 029 ---- 030

F-15C West Coast Demo Team

031 ---- 032 ---- 033 ---- 034 ---- 035
036 ---- 037 ---- 038 ---- 039 ---- 040

Finish F/A-18A Hornet

041 ---- 042 ---- 043 ---- 044 ---- 045

Swiss F-18C Hornet

046 ---- 047 ---- 048 ---- 049 ---- 050

British Harrier GR7

051 ---- 052 ---- 053 ---- 054 ---- 055

Belgian F-16A

056 ---- 057 ---- 058 ---- 059 ---- 060

Dutch F-16C Fighting Falcon

061 ---- 062 ---- 063 ---- 064 ---- 065

Patrouille des Patrouille

066 ---- 067 ---- 068 ---- 069 ---- 070

Patrouille Suisse

071 ---- 072 ---- 073 ---- 074 ---- 075
076 ---- 077 ---- 078 ---- 079 ---- 080
081 ---- 082 ---- 083 ---- 084 ---- 085

PC-7 Team

086 ---- 087 ---- 088 ---- 089 ---- 090

Red Arrows

091 ---- 092 ---- 093 ---- 094 ---- 095

Frecce Tricolori

096 ---- 097 ---- 098 ---- 099 ---- 100

Team 60

101 ---- 102 ---- 103 ---- 104 ---- 105

Patrulla Aguilla

106 ---- 107 ---- 108 ---- 109 ---- 110
111 ---- 112 ---- 113 ---- 114 ---- 115

Team Breitling

116 ---- 117 ---- 118 ---- 119 ---- 120

Hunters & Vampires

121 ---- 122 ---- 123 ---- 124 ---- 125

Fouga Display

126 ---- 127 ---- 128 ---- 129 ---- 130

Breitling Super Constellation

131 ---- 132 ---- 133 ---- 134 ---- 135

Pilatus PC-12

136 ---- 137 ---- 138 ---- 139 ---- 140

Bo 105

141 ---- 142 ---- 143 ---- 144 ---- 145

Supar Puma

146 ---- 147 ---- 148 ---- 149 ---- 150

Agusta A109

151 ---- 152 ---- 153 ---- 154 ---- 155

French Air Force - KC-135F + Mirage 2000 & Swiss F-18C

156 ---- 157 ---- 158
161 ---- 162 ---- 163 ---- 164 ---- 165
166 ---- 167 ---- 168 ---- 169 ---- 170
171 ---- 172 ---- 173 ---- 174 ---- 175
176 ---- 177 ---- 178 ---- 179 ---- 180
181 ---- 182 ---- 183
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