Helicopters and Balloons in Lucerne

To mark its 125th anniversary, the AeCS participated in the 2026 Air & Space Days at the Swiss Museum of Transport. And on Saturday evening, celebrations took place on the lake with a hot-air balloon and a 125-year-old steamboat. 

Last weekend, everything at the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne revolved around aviation. On Friday (training) and Saturday, the Swiss Air Force’s Super Puma Display Team thrilled spectators with a spectacular performance over the lake.

On Saturday morning, things got a little noisier in the museum’s courtyard. Two helicopters flew in at once: a vintage Bell G47 and a modern Bell 407 turbine helicopter. The two helicopters were literally swarmed by the crowd. Throughout the weekend, experienced model aviators demonstrated the art of model flying in the courtyard: from scale helicopters to agile indoor models to remote-controlled hot-air balloons. Inside the aviation hall, glider pilots were represented with a simulator, and right across from them, the Swiss Gliding History Foundation presented the AeCS Zögling.

On Saturday evening, a special sight unfolded on the Lidowiese as the AeCS anniversary balloon, tethered to a motorboat by a rope, rose majestically into the air. Piloted by Pascal Witprächtiger, the balloon was towed out onto the lake. At the same time, a (almost) 125-year-old steamboat, the DS Unterwalden—which, in place of the planned DS Uri, circled the balloon on the lake with numerous guests from the AeCS and Senior Aviators Switzerland before setting off on a cruise across Lake Lucerne.