Lodrino Air Base

The airfield was used in the past for fighter aircraft of the type: de Havilland Venom, Hawker Hunter and de Havilland Vampire and for various liaison aircraft of the Swiss Air Force The A3 motorway was constructed that it could if necessary, be used as a runway. This was also practised in exercises with the above-mentioned aircraft types, Strada 91 was the last such exercise https://www.forgottenairfields.com/airfield-lodrino-258.html.[2]

The airport in Lodrino is no longer operated by the Swiss Air Force, all Swiss Air Force flight operations in Ticino are coordinated by AFB Locarno. RUAG Aviation maintenance operates there, the centre for maintenance of Propeller Aircraft and formerly included Helicopters and UAV systems. These include: Pilatus PC-6, Pilatus PC-7, formerly serviced types include; Eurocopter EC635 ADS-95 and Pilatus PC-9. Other based operators are Heli TV which operates local cargo flights and Karen SA an approved Leonardo service center, flight school and technician training center.

The Swiss Air Force also uses Lodrino for training circuits and as alternate aerodrome for Locarno. There are training flights for paratroopers who jump out of the PC-6 Turbo Porter over Locarno. The airport is normally accessible for military aircraft, PC-6 and PC-7 are regular visitors for maintenance at RUAG. The interior of the tower was partially dismantled in 2010 and is now occupied by "The Swiss Drone Center" and various other drone-related companies. The airport was transferred to a new civilian entity Riviera Airport aeroporto-riviera.ch on January 6 2023. Visiting fixed-wing traffic is only permitted with prior approval of the operator Riviera Airport.

• RUAG
• Military significance of Switzerlands Motorways

• Geschäft Ansehen Question about future of Lodrino from 1995 (in German)