Locarno Air Base (Locarno-Magadino Airport)

Locarno Air Base, also known as Locarno-Magadino, is situated in the community of Gordola, seven kilometers east of Locarno in the Ticino region of Switzerland. The civilian portion of the facility opened in the summer of 1939, followed by the military section in the winter of 1939-1940. Since 1941, the Swiss Air Force has utilized the site for the basic flight training of military pilots. Following World War II, Swiss authorities designated the location as one of five regional airports within the national infrastructure network.

The installation operates as a mixed civilian and military airfield under the Swiss Air Force airfield command Locarno. Its primary role is the basic flight training of military pilots. The base hosts the Armee-Aufklärungsdetachement 10 and Fallschirmaufklärer Kompanie 17. It also serves as the unofficial base for the PC-7 Team aerobatics formation. Other organizations located on the site include the Rega air rescue service (Base 6), helicopter charter companies, and aircraft maintenance firms.

Infrastructure includes dedicated military taxiways and parking areas separate from civilian traffic. Between 1999 and 2007, the airfield command completely renewed the infrastructure, including the construction of a large hangar equipped with a solar power system to house aircraft. Specialized facilities include Hangar 5, which supports reconnaissance and parachute units. The base operates a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft including the Pilatus PC-7, PC-6 Turbo-Porter, and PC-9. Rotary-wing operations utilize Eurocopter EC635, AS532 Cougar, AS332 Super Puma, and AgustaWestland A109 helicopters. The facility also supports the ADS-95 Ranger unmanned aerial vehicle.