There is a positive update on one of Switzerland’s most beautiful airports, called Mollis (LSZM). The airfield was military in the past (former ICAO-code: LSMF) and during the transition into a civil airport only opened for home-based aircraft below 2t. One exception was, if you knew a local pilot how could do some kind of “handling”, you were possibly able to get a PPR (but still not guaranteed). This quite crazy restriction has come to an end, as the airport offers now PPR to everybody. Currently, you still need to cross a public bicycle road between the runway and the parking position, which is only allowed powered-off or when someone from the aeroclub stops all “traffic” (bicycles and pedestrians) by hand. Soon, a new bicycle way will be opened, bypassing the critical area, so this restriction will also be relieved when the airport becomes officially completely civilian. The airfield will also be introduced into the official Skyguide VFR Manual by mid-november. The former taxiway will however remain closed (mandatory backtrack) and the thresholds are replaced with a shorter landing distance.
This is actually very good news, especially for the autumn and winter period, when the flatlands of Switzerland are often covered by low clouds and fog, while the Alps are completely CAVOK. A train into Zürich from Mollis costs only around 1 hour travel time, so it might be even a serious VFR alternate for Zürich, in case you’re used to mountainous terrain.
That is great. Didn’t they do an annual fly-in for locals?
Yes, that was for local pilots from neighbor airfields the only chance to visit Mollis in the past. Switzerland has actually quite a few fly-ins on airfields or airbases, which are normally “off-limits” for GA pilots. Also military bases like Meiringen, former base St. Stephan and Emmen do have some fly-ins, but (unfortunately) not on a annual basis.
Yes, lovely news indeed. So maybe one day I can revisit the very airport where I spent some of my Airforce days taking care of Hunters. lovely place and nice area too.
