PATROUILLE SUISSE - LAUBERHORN 2026
During the 96th edition of the annual downhill ski world cup, held in Wengen, Switzerland, Chris Melaisi visited the event to capture the famous Swiss Air Force display team 'Patrouille Suisse' perform amongst the snow-covered Alps.
‘For more than 60 years, the Patrouille Suisse has been the flagship of the Swiss Air Force. It is characterized by its perfection, performance, and precision at the highest level.’ - Lt Col Nils Hämmerli - Cdr Patrouille Suisse
Formed in Switzerland on August 22nd 1964, the Patrouille Suisse has provided over 6 decades of aerial entertainment for spectators around the world. From 1964 - 1994, the team flew the Hawker Hunter Mk.58, beginning with 4 aircraft and eventually working their way up to 6 before the Hunter was retired from Swiss Air Force service in the mid 1990’s. Switzerland took delivery of the more agile and powerful Northrop F-5E Tiger II and the ‘Pat Suisse’ reformed with the aircraft in 1995. To aid the team’s aerial presence, smoke generators were fitted to a select number of F-5’s by RUAG aviation in 1996 and for the past 30 years, Patrouille Suisse Tiger’s have performed hundreds of displays using 6 aircraft across the globe.
In 2025, it was announced that 2026 will be the team’s final ‘full’ display year, with the F-5E Tiger being slowly phased out by the Air Force and with there being no official plans to keep the team active with a new aircraft type after this, the team will cease flying in early 2027. As the team begins to ‘wind-down’ on what has been an incredible 60+ years, opportunities to see the amazing 6-ship display of F-5 Tigers are becoming few and far between.
The longest downhill ski race in the world - The FIS Ski World Cup Lauberhorn race occurs every year in the Swiss Alps and attracts approx 30,000 spectators, spread out amongst different stages of the race course. Aside from the excitement of the race themselves, spectators also attend to get a unique perspective of the Patrouille Suisse Tiger’s as they perform a punchy display amongst the snow covered alps. To get the best vantage point possible, a set of ski’s are required and Chris Melaisi soon found himself over 8000ft above sea level to experience the very best of the Patrouille Suisse:
There is nothing quite like watching the Patrouille Suisse display in their ‘natural’ habitat. The setting of this display provides unique and very interesting backdrops, highlighting the Alps and their features from sharp arête’s to glacial style frozen ice and rocks.
The team performed a number of varied passes, including 4, 5 and 6-ship formations. As with their regular display’s, two pilots broke off to become the ‘solo’s’ and performed high energy maneuvers with the use of afterburner and flares.
