F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team
A single clean F/A-18C flown by a Payerne-based squadron pilot from 1997 to 2024, suspended from 2025 so the overstretched Hornet fleet could focus on operations and the F-35 transition.
F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team: how the team came to be and what it flies today
A Hornet on show from 1997
The Swiss Air Force began showing the F/A-18 Hornet at public events soon after the type entered service in 1997. In 1997 and 1998 two pilots, Stéphane “Punzel” Rapaz and Werner “Höffi” Hoffmann, alternated; from 1999 there was a single active display pilot, accompanied abroad by a former or future display pilot and a spare aircraft. Twelve pilots held the role from Fliegerstaffel 11, 17 and 18, and the display won the Paul Bowen Solo Jet Aerobatic Trophy in 2006, 2007 and 2009.
Squadron jets, one pilot at a time
The routine was flown in a single-seat F/A-18C without external stores, usually the squadron jet of the pilot’s unit: J-5011 of Fliegerstaffel 11, J-5017 of Fliegerstaffel 17 or J-5018 of Fliegerstaffel 18. Exceptions included a two-seat F/A-18D with drop tanks at MAKS near Moscow in 2013 and a Hornet in a wartime-style special scheme that flew in formation with a Morane and a Mustang at Air14 in Payerne in 2014. At large shows the Hornet often opened the programme in formation with the PC-7 Team, the Patrouille Suisse or the Super Puma. Each pilot’s sequence had to be validated by the Display Control Committee before the season.
Suspended in 2025
No displays were flown in 2020 because of the pandemic, so Nicolas “Vincent” Rossier handed over to Yannick “Fönsi” Zanata only in spring 2021. Marcel “Frodo” Rust flew the 2024 season under the name F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team. On 29 November 2024 the Defence Group announced that the team would be suspended from 1 January 2025, as part of savings measures and to concentrate the heavily used Hornet fleet on operations, pilot training and the introduction of the new fighter.
F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team in numbers
The team
- Formation
- طائرة واحدة
- Single F/A-18C, spare aircraft on tours
- One display pilot per season from 1999
Suspended since 1 January 2025
الطائرة
- Flown
- McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
- F/A-18C (1997–2024)
- F/A-18D two-seater on occasion (MAKS 2013)
بيت
- Based at
- قاعدة بايرن الجوية
- Fliegerstaffel 17 for most recent pilots
- Earlier pilots from Fliegerstaffel 11 and 18
The display
- Aircraft in the display
- 1
- Livery
- standard grey; special scheme for Air14 in 2014
Every type F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team has flown
| الطائرات | سنين | Number | ملحوظة |
|---|---|---|---|
| McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet | 1997–2024 | 1 | Squadron jets J-5011, J-5017 or J-5018, flown clean. |
| McDonnell Douglas F/A-18D Hornet | 2013–2013 | 1 | Two-seater with drop tanks for the MAKS 2013 display. |
What F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team is known for
- Paul Bowen Solo Jet Aerobatic Trophy in 2006, 2007 and 2009 (German Wikipedia).
- Commander’s Trophy for best military display in 2012 (German Wikipedia).
- Display at MAKS 2013 near Moscow in a two-seat F/A-18D with drop tanks (German Wikipedia).
- Formation with a Morane and a Mustang at Air14, Payerne, in a special scheme (German Wikipedia).
Who leads F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team
- Marcel “Frodo” Rust · Display pilot, 2024 (Fliegerstaffel 17)
- Yannick “Fönsi” Zanata · Display pilot, 2021–2023 (Fliegerstaffel 17)
- Nicolas “Vincent” Rossier · Display pilot, 2017–2019 (no displays in 2020) (Fliegerstaffel 17)
- Julien “Teddy” Meister · Display pilot, 2014–2016 (Fliegerstaffel 17)
- Bernhard “Beni” Kocher · Display pilot, 2013 (Fliegerstaffel 18)
- Ralph “Deasy” Knittel · Display pilot, 2010–2012, MAKS 2013 (Fliegerstaffel 17)
- Thomas “Pipo” Peier · Display pilot, 2007–2009 (Fliegerstaffel 18)
- Michael “Elvis” Reiner · Display pilot, 2004–2007 (Fliegerstaffel 11)
- Patrick “Dähli” Dähler · Display pilot, 2001–2003 (Fliegerstaffel 11)
- Frédéric “Styff” Ryff · Display pilot, 1999–2000 (Fliegerstaffel 17)
- Werner “Höffi” Hoffmann · Display pilot, 1997–1998, alternating (Fliegerstaffel 11)
- Stéphane “Punzel” Rapaz · Display pilot, 1997–1998, alternating (Fliegerstaffel 17)
F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team, year by year
Hornet displays begin, with Rapaz and Hoffmann alternating
Single active display pilot system introduced
First of three Paul Bowen Solo Jet Aerobatic Trophies
Two-seat F/A-18D flown at MAKS near Moscow
Special-scheme Hornet at Air14, Payerne
Rossier validated for his third and last season
No displays because of the pandemic
Yannick Zanata’s validation flight before the Display Control Committee
Final season, flown by Marcel Rust
Suspension from 1 January 2025 announced
Everything people ask about F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team
What aircraft did the Swiss Hornet Solo Display fly?
Is the Swiss Hornet display still flying?
Where was the Swiss Hornet display based?
Who was the last Swiss Hornet display pilot?
When did the Swiss Hornet solo display start?
Around F/A-18 Swiss Hornet Solo Display Team
كل حقيقة، تم التحقق منها
- F/A-18 Hornet Solo Display (Wikipedia, deutsch)
- Swiss Hornet Display Team – «Fönsi» löst «Vincent» ab (Cockpit, 2021)
- Swiss Hornet Display Team – Bereit für die neue Saison (Cockpit, 25 April 2019)
- Luftwaffe passt Angebot ihrer Vorführteams ab 2025 an (VBS, 29 November 2024)
Verified 2026-10-02.