Termination of our Hunter flights

Further to the retirement of the mechanic approved by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) to maintain and check the Hawker Hunter, and the difficulty for our Swiss maintenance company to quickly find a suitable successor, we tried to find a maintenance solution with a Canadian maintenance company, one of the last entities able to provide this type of service on a Hunter.

After a promising start on the part of the FOCA and the Canadian company, we were faced with a succession of administrative difficulties, and despite our best efforts we ended up stumbling over the ever-increasing red tape and administrative regulations. Furthermore, if we had finally succeeded, it would only have been for one year. From the end of 2024, the FOCA required us to submit to a new control protocol, “Part 145”, leading to maintenance costs that were unaffordable for our non-profit association.

So, with sadness and bitterness, we have decided not to return our Hunter to service.

After 25 years of magnificent, incident-free flights, the adventure has come to an end. Our Hunter has been handed over to the Canadian company, which will be able to continue flying this beautiful machine under other skies, which gives us a little salve to the heart.

We thank all our members, fans and friends who have supported us throughout the years. With our best aeronautical regards.