The Swiss Air Knights: SUBITO Team & FMA
What is Fliegermuseum Altenrhein?
The Fliegermuseum Altenrhein (FMA) was founded as an association in 1994 by private persons. The main purpose of the FMA is to save ex Swiss Air Force jets from being scrapped or sold. Furthermore, the FMA has the mission to maintain, exhibit, and of course, demonstrate historic and other ex-Swiss Air Force aircraft but also aircraft concerning modern and historic Swiss aviation in the air.
The FMA and responsible units of the Swiss Air Force respectively the Swiss Armed Forces have a very good partnership.
The FMA developed also into a known and still private institution for forming and training display and formation flight pilots with professional structures and Syllabi. Thanks to this effort and fact, the Fliegermuseum Altenrhein can keep its pilots to a very high level of display and formation flight skills and present the fleet with solo displays or with its teams showing nice aerobatic formations. The FMA has since the beginning its maintenance capacity that is specialized in maintaining most of our historic aircraft.
How did you guys come in contact? How was the team created?
Founded by former air force pilots, air force mechanics, and jet enthusiasts the group of members has been growing every year.
In the meantime, we have groups of members supporting us by being members, mechanics, and volunteers helping to maintain our historic hangars, military pilots, commercial pilots, private pilots, and many more.
photo credit to Flieger Museum
What were the biggest challenges to create the impressive fleet FMA has?
It has been a challenge to convince our FOCA to “civilize” the former historic air force jets. The reason is that most of these airplanes have never been registered as civil airplanes. But in the end, we succeeded and like this our historic airplanes got their civil airworthiness license.
The most challenging task at the moment is to find mechanics with the requested license for the maintenance of historic ex-military jets. There are simply no more mechanics in Switzerland that can maintain the Hawker Hunter. We are currently searching for solutions together with British mechanics and the Swiss FOCA.
Furthermore, the insurance fees are increasing as they are all over General Aviation, to new record values.
Generally spoken, to keep historic ex-air force jets in the air is getting more expensive every year. So we are always looking out for new partners and sponsors having the same passion and assignment we have.
Is FMA a foundation?
We, the FMA, are an association. The other entities are either companies or also associations.
photo credit to Flieger Museum
FMA is a training facility. What kind of training do you offer and what are the requirements to take part in it?
First of all, we have requirements and an assessment which interested pilots have to fulfill and pass respectively. Also, we only accept pilots intending to be long-term FMA member pilots.
Successfully assessed pilots have the following possibilities:
Class Ratings (Single Engine Land, Difference Training, Familiarizations, Pilatus PC7 SET, Vampire, Hunter), Aerobatic Rating, NIT, and, of course, the demanding and finally costly display and formation flight education/training.
We offer this training with our Flight Instructors and with a great and very important partnership with AVILÙ SA (www.avilu.ch), a flight school located in Lugano.
Do you perform also as an acrobatic team for the Swiss Airforce next to the Patrouille Suisse?
We as a private operating group have never the same possibilities as the Swiss Air Force Teams have. But we work closely together. Our Hawker Hunter often flies displays together with the Patrouille Suisse.
The SUBITO Team trains a lot and has developed into an interesting formation aerobatic team showing a very dynamic display.
The Swiss Hunter Team shows formations with Hawker Hunter and De Havilland Vampire. The spectator loves this view and the fantastic sound!
Why the name ‘Subito’ for the Pilatus PC7 team?
SUBITO stands for fast, quick, immediate, which means the SUBITO Team is showing a dynamic and interesting aerobatic formation display
photo credit to Flieger Museum
Top 3 elements, according to you, for a successful acrobatic display team.
Trust
Skills
Training/discipline
Do you consider trust the most important factor in an acrobatic display team?
Yes as you can see in the previous question it is the first and most important point. You must be able to trust blindly your buddy on your side otherwise you will not become an old pilot.
The most demanding acrobatic figure for you as a pilot
Personally, during formation aerobatics, it is simply the correct and safe positioning. If you are two planes this is better manageable but as soon as you are three or more planes every plane must exactly keep the same reference position! Very challenging.
During competition aerobatics, it is the P-loop that can be very complicated about energy management if you add some snaps and rolls.
photo credit to Flieger Museum
Have you tried Extra NG yet ?
Not yet. I would like to do this.
You are an Airbus A330 pilot. How difficult is it to combine your work with a great interest in flying in FMA?
It's not very difficult at the moment. Unfortunately, due to the Corona crisis, most of the SWISS A330 fleet is on the ground. But even during non-Corona periods, my fleet managers are very patient, and we always find the "Variante Optima".
The glider of your dreams
FMA: Hawker Hunter и Pilatus PC-7
Aerobatics: Extra 330 SC
photo credit to Flieger Museum
- Article by Enzina Calascione
- FMA Pilot - Manuel Blatter
- We thank the FMA Museum and the FMA Aviation Group for their cooperation and support.