Monaco has welcomed back members of the PC-7 Team, the official aerobatic display team of the Swiss Air Force, for a commemorative visit marking their celebrated performance during the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix.
In 2001, the team made aviation history when it was invited to perform a spectacular aerial display for the opening celebrations of the Monaco Grand Prix. Ten aircraft and a helicopter were deployed from Switzerland, operating out of Le Luc-Le Cannet airfield before flying over the Principality to deliver a precision formation display showcasing Swiss aviation expertise at its finest.
Since its creation in 1989, the PC-7 Team has served as a flying ambassador for the Swiss Air Force, formed to mark its 75th anniversary. What began as a commemorative initiative quickly evolved into an internationally recognised aerobatic team, performing across Switzerland and abroad. The team completed its first international displays in 1992 and continues to represent Swiss precision, discipline and elegance using the iconic Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer, later upgraded in 2007 with the modernised NCPC-7 cockpit system.
The 2001 Monaco visit was marked not only by its aerial spectacle but also by memorable moments off the runway. The team was received at the Prince’s Palace by Prince Rainier III and later joined guests, organisers and Formula 1 figures at an exclusive event at the Sporting Monte-Carlo, closing a landmark Grand Prix weekend in style.
Shared skies, lasting ties: PC-7 TEAM reunion celebrates Swiss-Monaco friendship
A quarter of a century later, that historic moment has brought key figures back to the Principality. From 1st to 3rd May, former PC-7 TEAM commander Lieutenant Colonel Rudolf Wattinger, former team leader Peter Merz—who later served as Commander of the Swiss Air Force and is now CEO of Skyguide—and former PR officer Philippe Hertig, now Senior Partner at Egon Zehnder, reunited in Monaco alongside their spouses.
They were welcomed once again by the Club Suisse de Monaco, which organised the commemorative visit. The gathering served not only to celebrate a defining moment in Swiss aviation history, but also to highlight the enduring ties between Switzerland and Monaco.
Marked by shared memories, friendship and pride, the reunion underlined how a single aerial performance 25 years ago continues to resonate today—still remembered as a highlight of Monaco’s Grand Prix legacy.
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All photos courtesy of Club Suisse de Monaco