Following the annual tradition started in 2006, the Munich and Hamburg Branches joined together for a visit to another aerospace centre in Europe. This year Switzerland was chosen as the destination with visits organised to RUAG Aerospace, Pilatus and the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne, followed by the Aircraft Museum in Dübendorf and finally, for the Munich Branch only, the EADS (formerly Dornier) facilities in Friedrichshafen. A suitable social programme was arranged around the technical visits so that partners and families were also attracted to join the trip. The Munich group travelled by coach to Lucerne where they met at RUAG with the Hamburg group who had flown to Zurich and then taken the train to Lucerne. After an excellent and welcome lunch in the RUAG canteen the group was shown around the factory including the manufacture of aerostructures, the maintenance and upgrade of Swiss Air Force F/A-18 Hornets and the manufacture of payload fairings for the Ariane 5. The visit concluded with a presentation by Dr Wildi, Vice President Engineering and Technology and President of the SVFW (Schweizerische Vereinigung für Flugwissenschaften – the Swiss sister organisation to the RAeS). He explained the wide ranging activities of the RUAG Group which also includes an important facility at Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich. The second day started in the rain with a visit to Pilatus Aircraft where the company was proud to show us their range of very successful aircraft. A comprehensive factory tour concluded in the impressive new assembly hall with its unsupported roof span and a floor area of 7300 m² The construction is almost entirely of local wood (2500 m³) which is environmentally friendly and in keeping with Swiss tradition. The group departed very impressed with the products, the management of the company and the enthusiasm of all the staff. The afternoon was spent in the Swiss Transport Museum with a guided tour by the Deputy Director and head of the aerospace department, Hr Wydler. Switzerland is proud of its railway system which remains a major means of transport today so a tour of the railway exhibits could not be left out. The aerospace hall contained many interesting exhibits including the Breitling Orbiter 2 and the Eureca research satellite. The evening was the highlight of the social programme with a dinner in the ballroom of a traditional house in the centre of Lucerne. The house was built in 1709 as the summer residence of Franz Ludwig Pfyffer v. Wyher and is now owned by the Gesellschaft der Herren zu Schützen. The dinner was hosted by the SVFW with guests also from EADS and Eurofighter. The weekend was spent sightseeing in the impressive area around the Vierwaldstättersee. A boat trip across the lake took the group to the bottom of the steepest cog railway in the world, with a maximum gradient of 48%, which travels from the shore of the lake up to the peak of the Pilatus mountain at over 2100m. The railway enthusiasts and technical freaks in the group were fascinated by the unique technology of this line which was opened in 1889 using steam locomotives. The line was electrified in 1937 with new rolling stock and we travelled in the over 70 year old carriages which are still in use today. On reaching the peak we were in cloud with heavy snow so there was no panoramic view to admire but especially the Hamburg group enjoyed the snow (which they rarely see!) and the opportunity for the first snowball fight of the year. The intention was to travel down using the cable car and gondola in order to have used all local transport methods in one day (road, water, railway and cable). Unfortunately the cable car was closed that day so, after a welcome lunch in the restaurant, we had to return on the cog railway and then change to the normal railway to travel back to Lucerne. On Sunday morning the combined group make their last joint activity with a guided tour of the interesting city of Lucerne. The long history of the city was explained together with its role today as one of the main tourist areas of Switzerland. In the afternoon the Munich group made a coach tour round the Vierwaldstättersee with a stop at the typical Swiss town of Schwyz with its mountain, cable railway, monastry and chocolate factory. On the way back to Lucerne the group stopped at the William Tell memorial chapel which is reached along the narrow wooded path known as the “Hohle Gasse” where it is claimed that William Tell shot and killed the tyrant Gessler with his crossbow. The Hamburg group then returned home on Sunday evening. The complete visit was very successful and enjoyed by all the participants. We thank especially Dr Joerg Wildi, Dr Georges Bridel and Dr Liemandt for their support and assistance with the local organisation. Without local support such a visit is not possible. The Munich and Hamburg Branches are already working on the 2009 visit which will be to Sweden, Saab, FMV, the Swedish Air Force Museum in Linköping and a social outing to Stockholm. (With many thanks to Roger Jevons of the Munich Branch for allowing to use his write-up and also to Franz-Josef Enzinger for so efficiently looking after the organisation of the trip.) |
