Routeplanning is part of the pre-flight briefing: direction Bremgarten - Affoltern - Mollis - Braunwald - Lukmanier - Olivone - Biasca - Lodrino.
200 lbs of baggage is possible - but we're far below that limit. Anyway, we'll be back the same evening.
Fuel calculations say that 36 galons are enough. We fly with full tanks anyway, that'll give us comfortable reserves just in case we have to fly long holdings - more than 60 planes are expected to land within 2 hours. Rush hour...
Sadly 'Aunt Anna' - Antonov AN-2 from the Ukraine - didn't come to Lodrino...
But this did: Piper Archer with a Diesel engine.
Airbourne: Take off LSZF runway 08, righthand turn to Mellingen...
Türlersee, a little lake near Zurich...
Airfield Wangen-Lachen, at Lake Zurich.
Airfield Mollis, where our last fly-in happened.
Glärnisch has its head in the clouds...
The clouds are closing in - will we make it under VFR over the passes...?
Dramatic images...
Disentis...?
It's a loooooooooong way down...
Lucomania-Pass!
Typical houses in Ticino.
We didn't come across any other plane - here's the answer: They're already here.
The big ones (Piper PA-46-350P Malibu)...
...as well as the small ones (Minicap GY20)...
...on skis (Piper PA-18-150 Super Cup)...
...others try to impress with two engines (Piper PA-34.200).
...and of course the compulsory chopper (Eurocopter EC120B Colibri). Sadly only one chopper this year...
The apron is fully booked...
...and our president is satisfied!
Everybody here? Ok, let's go get some food. A special thank to the freelance helpers in the kitchen for FREE FOOD!!!
Several guides showed us the maintanance area. Ours didn't let us take pictures - others did. Probably Top Secret, since the facilities belong to the Swiss Army.
Back to planes. Inside views:
Only the basics...
Bit more...
Panel's filling up...
Looks familiar somehow...
...isn't there something similar in Microsoft Flight Simulator X?...
Exactly: A Maule M-7!!!
And another! The colours fit so well, you'd think it belongs here...
I'd hate to have to polish this one! Pilatus P-3-05
Rare sight in Switzerland: SIAI-Marchetti S260
No, this isn't a Swiss Bank: Grumman AA-1A
Time to leave. Damn, which one's mine...?!? Two Piper PA-28-181 with almost the same paint-scheme...
Rush-hour at Mega-Hub Lodrino: 'Hotel Lima Romeo, line up and wait, cleared to take off as soon as Hotel Golf Mike is airbourne'...
Goodbye and thanks to everyone who made this happen!
Left or right?
We arrived from the right side...
...so let's make a lefthand turn this time, direction St Gotthards Pass.
That's it...
...the St Gotthards pass and its hostel. Pretty snowed in and the lakes still frozen, although OAT 07°C.
Down to Hospental...
Others have propellers too...
Wassen and the blocked Highway A2 to the south...
Oberalp Pass, but we'll follow Highway A2...
...direction to Lake Lucerne...
...via Brunnen...
...and to Mount Rigi.
It's my turn to fly now. But over my home I handed over the controlls to Jeff to take a picture.
Back at Birrfeld LSZF...
Touchdown on Runway 26
