Lodrino Air Base

Riviera Airport is a former military airfield (Militärflugplatz Lodrino LSML) of the Swiss Air Force at Lodrino, Ticino in Switzerland. From July 2023 the ICAO location indicator LSPR replaces both LSML and LSXR. Not to be confused with the similarly named airport in Italy Riviera Airport

History
The airfield was used in the past for fighter aircraft of the type: de Havilland Venom, Hawker Hunter and de Havilland Vampire and for various liaison aircraft of the Swiss Air Force The A3 motorway was constructed that it could if necessary be used as a runway. This was also practised in exercises, "Strada 91" being the last such exercise

Current usage
Lodrino Airport is no longer operated by the Swiss Air Force, local Swiss Air Force flight operations are coordinated by AFB Locarno. RUAG Aviation maintenance operates the centre for maintenance of Propeller Aircraft which formerly included Helicopters and UAV systems. These include: Pilatus PC-6, Pilatus PC-7, formerly serviced types include; Eurocopter EC635 ADS-95 and Pilatus PC-9. Other based operators are Heli TV which operates local cargo flights and Karen SA operating passenger flights, a maintenance base for Leonardo helicopters, pilot and technical training (for engineers).

The Swiss Air Force Lodrino is used as the alternate aerodrome for Locarno. PC-7 basic trainers also practise circuits here and PC-6 load paratroopers (Armee-Aufklärungsdetachement 10, Fallschirmaufklärer Kompanie 17) to jump over the Locarno area. The airport is accessible for military aircraft, PC-6 and PC-7 are regular visitors for maintenance at RUAG. There are regular civilian operations performed by the based helicopter operators. The interior of the tower was partially dismantled in 2010 and the building is now occupied by "The Swiss Drone Center" and various other drone-related companies. The airport was transferred to a new civilian entity Riviera Airport on January 6 2023. Visiting fixed-wing traffic is only permitted with authorization from the operator Riviera Airport. Tel. +41 91 863 4940 CTAF VHF 119.625 MHz