A group of former members of the PC-7 TEAM have returned to Monaco to mark the 25th anniversary of one of the most memorable aerial displays ever staged above the Principality during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend.
The reunion commemorates the team’s appearance at the 2001 Grand Prix opening celebrations, when the Swiss Air Force display squad performed a large-scale demonstration flight over Monaco in front of thousands of spectators. The operation saw ten aircraft and a helicopter deployed from Switzerland to the Côte d’Azur, with the team flying out of Le Luc-Le Cannet airfield before carrying out precision manoeuvres above the Principality.
At the time, the performance underlined the growing international profile of the PC-7 TEAM, which had become one of Switzerland’s most recognisable aviation ambassadors since its creation in 1989 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Swiss Air Force.
Flying the Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer aircraft that would become synonymous with the team, the squad quickly built a reputation for technical precision and synchronised aerobatics, later expanding internationally during the 1990s. The fleet was modernised in 2007 with upgraded NCPC-7 aircraft equipped with advanced cockpit technology.
The original Monaco visit in 2001 extended well beyond the aerial display itself. Team members were invited to official celebrations linked to the Grand Prix weekend, including a reception hosted by Rainier III at the Prince’s Palace and a gala evening at Sporting Monte-Carlo attended by drivers, organisers and international guests.
To mark the anniversary, several prominent figures from the original team returned to Monaco on Friday, May 1, alongside their spouses. Among them were former team commander Rudolf Wattinger, former team leader Peter Merz — who later went on to lead the Swiss Air Force — and former public relations officer Philippe Hertig.
Lieutenant Rudolf Wattinger alongside His Serene Highness Prince Albert II
The delegation was welcomed once again by the Club Suisse de Monaco, which organised the anniversary gathering as both a tribute to Swiss aviation history and a celebration of the enduring relationship between Switzerland and Monaco.
For those involved, the return to the Principality served as both a nostalgic reunion and a reminder of a Grand Prix weekend that remains a defining moment in the history of the PC-7 TEAM a quarter of a century later.
