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F/A-18 Hornet Solo Display


The F/A-18 Hornet Solo Display  is an aerobatics team of the Swiss Air Force. It derives its name from the F/A-18.

History
The F/A-18 Hornet Solo Display was founded shortly after the introduction of the F/A-18 Hornet in the Swiss Air Force in 1997. The mission of the F/A-18 solo display it is to show the flight performance and maneuverability of the F/A-18 at home and abroad at various air shows to visitors. From 1997 to 1998 the team was made of two display pilots, Stéphane "Punzel» Rapaz and Werner "Höffi" Hoffmann (Werner Hoffman today is the Commander of the PC-7 Team). Since 1999, the F/A-18 Hornet Solo Display has one display pilot only, which is often accompanied abroad by a former or future F/A-18 Hornet display pilot on the flight demonstrations. This is normally with a second F/A-18C as a reserve on the spot. Unlike the formation flight of view and with the support by the team commander on the ground, as with the Patrouille Suisse or the PC-7 Team, the F/A-18 Solo Display is not flown at sight or radio as Refernz but a program based on numbers, engine performance, angle of attack angle, speednumbers, climb & descents.The display is made with F/A-18C (single seat) without external loads, whenever it is possible from the F/A-18 fleet availability, the squadron maircraft is used by the squadron in which the current F/A-18 Hornet Solo Display pilot is a member. These are J-5011 Squadron 11 Tigers, J-5017 of the Squadron 17 Falcons or the J-5018 Squadron 18 Panthers. Is the Sqadron aircraft not available, the display will be flown with any F/A-18C. An exception was the first official flight demonstration of Stéphane "Punzel» Rapaz who completed it with the F/A-18D J-5233 and the flight demonstration at MAKS Airshow 2013 in Moscow where the flight demonstration with the F/A-18D (double seater) J-5232 was flown with attached wing tanks. Home base is Payerne Air Base.

Awards
The team has won several awards since its inception, for example
 * Paul Bowen Solo Jet Aerobatic Trophy 2006, 2007, 2009
 * 2.Rank for «the most accurate, polish and safe display» 2012
 * Commander Trophy for «best military display» 2012

Pilots

 * Nicolas «Vincent» Rossier Fliegerstaffel 17 since 2017–
 * Julien «Teddy» Meister Escadrille aviation 17 2014-2017
 * Bernhard «Beni» Kocher Fliegerstaffel 18 2013
 * Ralph «Deasy» Knittel Fliegerstaffel 17 2010-2012 & MAKS 2013
 * Thomas «Pipo» Peier Fliegerstaffel 18 2007-2009
 * Michael «Elvis» Reiner Fliegerstaffel 11 2004-2007
 * Patrick «Dähli» Dähler Fliegerstaffel 11 2001-2003
 * Frédéric «Styff» Ryff Fliegerstaffel 17 1999-2000
 * Werner «Höffi» Hoffmann Fliegerstaffel 11 1997-1998
 * Stéphane «Punzel» Rapaz Escadrille aviation 17 1997-1998