msfs Border Patrol

[mrueedi]

One type of training flights of the Swiss Air Force are border patrol flights during which the pilots also have to memorize the country borders. From my living place I often see the PC-9s and PC-21s fly these kind of flights. Here are some shots:

After take off in Dübendorf:

Soon we simply follow the Rhine River:

Where the Aare River is joining the Rhine (and above the little hill where many times I have flight tested my drones):

Some seconds later:

Looking back to Basel:

Chasing the ridge between the Doubs Valley and the plains of Porrentrury:

Over St Ursanne, the Doubs River turns by 180° and so do we:

From here the Doubs River will be at our right side until Les Eplatures:

On this screenshot the complete route to La Chaux-de-Fonds and Les Eplatures is already visible:

The Alps far in the south:

Looking back over the Jura Mountains:

Descending over La Chaux-de-Fonds to enter the traffic pattern for Les Eplatures:

Again the Alps in the background, also visible the Vue des Alpes Pass and the Lake Neuchatel:

The runway right behind the city:

Turn into downwind. Lake Geneva is visble far away and the Creux du Van cut into the mountain straight ahead:

... downwind...

... base ...

... turn into final...

 

[wain]

very nice, some great shots there...

[paulb]

Nice commentary. It's good to know where you are flying 🙂.

[Jack_Sawyer]

Quite a nice tour of a beautiful area!

[John F]

A lot more interesting (and beautiful) than just studying a map.

[efis007]

Great shots man! 👏

[pmplayer]

Fine shots with nice scenerys !

cheers 😉

[mrueedi]

23 hours ago, paulb said:

Nice commentary. It's good to know where you are flying 🙂.

Yes, I have fond memories of many of these places from the past.

20 hours ago, Jack_Sawyer said:

Quite a nice tour of a beautiful area!

If I find time, I will shot a sequel along the southern border in the Alps.

18 hours ago, John F said:

A lot more interesting (and beautiful) than just studying a map.

Yes, indeed. I know from this book, that the Swiss pilots memorize the border of the entire country by flying along them. When Gion Bezzola described it, they flew Pilatus P-3s, today I see PC-9s and PC-21s follow down the Rhine on the Swiss side of the border at about 1000-2000 ft over ground.