Axalp shooting demonstration, central Switzerland

[Kilrah]

DSC01675-Edit_r par Kilrah757, sur Flickr

There I was... last year, and will be again next week (Oct 12th)...

As this is an event that attracts (rightly so!) lots of aviation fans from far around, as some of you are in Europe has anyone planned to come?

A few more pics here, with the associated walk (my totally untrained legs already start hurting...)

http://www.andrebernet.ch/gallery/v/aviation/101013_Axalp/

[Stef]

What is this? An airshow in the mountains? Looks awesome!!

[Kilrah]

Yes, pretty much... even if it's not labelled as such. It lasts just one hour, but you get to see real live shooting maneuvers in addition to the "standard" demos - that are at your level or below you. Pretty unique.

Lots of info here: http://airshow-reviews.com/axalp.html

[Stef]

Wow! That lookslike a unique event indeed! I had no idead something like this existed! That'd be reason enough to visit Switzerland one day... Is it always around the same time of year?

[Kilrah]

It is, my first time was last year, and now I won't miss one (as long as the WX is OK, that is)!

Yes, it's always Wed/Thurs of the 2nd week of October. It's impressive to see thousands of people on that mountain. Some come from all over Europe, sometimes with camping cars and all...

[Frank N. O.]

Wow, great picture and what an experience for those lucky enough to be present, I've never heard of this either. Thanks for posting the pictures, they look great.

Frank

[Kilrah]

Thanks!
I actually didn't follow up because unfortunately the demo was cancelled this year. There have been some serious landslides in central Switzerland a couple of days before, and in fears of replicas the Air Force decided to cancel the event to have the personnel and equipment (lots of helis are engaged to setup the area for the demo) ready in case they were needed.
Oh well... next year. Maybe. Weather isn't always good at that time of the year. Of course though, this time it was perfect...

[Dysko]

I've been there for the first time in 2010. Since I'm totally untrained in mountain walking too, I started the climb at 5 AM, arriving on top at 10 AM (actually, the first hour was on a bus and on a chairlift, so "only" 4 hours of walking). In the last hour of the climb there were F-18s and F-5s buzzing around for the last rehearsal before the actual show!
Unfortunately, the clouds were rising fast, and I preferred to start the descent before the end of the show (I feared I would not be able to go down being inexperienced in mountain walking). Anyway, the F-18, F-5 and PC-21 demos were great!

I planned to return there for the 2011 edition, but due to health problems I preferred to avoid the climb and to take photos of takeoffs and landings at Meiringen airbase (this airbase is famous for the roads crossing the runway! http://airshow-reviews.com/meiringen.html )
Then Axalp 2011 was cancelled, and I didn't even go to Meiringen.

BTW Kilrah... great photos!

[Kilrah]

Cool!

Which spot did you go to in 2010?

I WILL have to go to Meiringen one day. It's always the same problem of not knowing when there is activity, and I'm not so hot on spending 4 hrs there and back if I end on a day with nothing happening - heck I already can never kick my butt to do the 3km trip to the airbase next to me in the morning "just in case" something's flying

[Mike]

anybody know if they have this again next year and when that would be?

[Kilrah]

October 10-11, 2012!
http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luftwaffe/en/home/aktuell/airshows/axalp_ebenfluh.html

As always, subject to cancellation at the last minute. Reading this is a good start:
http://airshow-reviews.com/axalp.html

Training is usually happening in the mornings and the day before, but not with the full programme and happening with no certainty. However those who were smart enough to go the day before this year were the only ones to get to see anything up there...

[Dysko]

Which spot did you go to in 2010?

I climbed up to the second public spot in order of climb (the first is the lowest one, the second is the one you reach after climbing from the first spot, and the third the one with the control facility), but then I had to descend back to the first spot because my friend remained there.

I WILL have to go to Meiringen one day. It's always the same problem of not knowing when there is activity, and I'm not so hot on spending 4 hrs there and back if I end on a day with nothing happening - heck I already can never kick my butt to do the 3km trip to the airbase next to me in the morning "just in case" something's flying

That's the problem with military airports... Few days after the beginning of operations in Lybia I went to Aviano airbase, an USAF airbase in Italy near the border with the Balkan Countries. A friend who lived near the base told me "Come here, there are lots of planes! F-16s, F-15s, A-10s, C-130s, EA-18s... EVERYTHING!!! Every minute something takes off or lands!!!" After a 3 hour drive to get there, all I could see in 7 hours were 4 F-16s...

[Kilrah]

Which spot did you go to in 2010?

I climbed up to the second public spot in order of climb

OK, that's where I was too. We arrived at the parking lot at about 9h, queued more than 1hr just to take the bus, and then when we were told the queue to the chairlift was about 1hr and the walk would be about the same we decided to queue. But it took more like 1h30, and we later found out walking would have been more like 30-45min...

So... 9h at parking, started the chairlift queue at 10h55, arrived at top of chairlift at 12:35, and reached spot 2 at 13:30, with demo starting at 14h... it was a bit short! Next time I'll be sure to skip the chairlift, and try to arrive earlier to avoid the bus queue... 3h35 just for those while you made it in one hour only earlier, that is some difference 
Might even get to see the morning training then...