This Ordinance applies to hang gliders, both unpowered and with an electric motor, manned kites, paragliders, tethered balloons, parachutes and unmanned aircraft.

¹ Aircraft under Article 1 are not recorded in the Swiss Aircraft Registry.

² Subject to Article 20a, their airworthiness is not tested.⁹

³ No noise certificates are issued for them.

¹ Aircraft under Article 1, with the exception of hang gliders with electric motors, are under no obligation to take off or land at an aerodrome.¹⁰

² The rights of persons entitled to the property concerned to prevent trespassing and to compensation for any damage caused are in every case reserved.

No authorisation is required from the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA)¹¹ for public air shows that exclusively involve the use of aircraft under Article 1.

No authorisation is required from FOCA for commercial flights using aircraft under Article 1.

The provisions of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 are referred to with the abbreviation «SERA»¹³ and the relevant number.

Hang gliders are:

any aircraft that may be foot-launched, in particular hang gliders and paragliders, provided that immediately after take-off they are used for gliding or parachuting;

hang gliders and paragliders with electric motors that may be foot-launched or that are equipped with undercarriage, provided that after take-off and a subsequent flight phase they can be used for gliding or parachuting.

¹ Any person who wishes to fly a hang glider must hold the relevant official Swiss licence. The minimum age for training flights is 14; the minimum age for acquiring the official licence is 16.

² Any person who wishes to fly a hang glider with an accompanying person (tandem hang glider) must hold the relevant official Swiss licence. An official Swiss licence for commercial tandem hang glider flights is valid for three years.

³ Training flights may only be carried out under the direct supervision of a person holding the official instructor’s licence; they need not be carried out by a training organisation. An instructor’s licence is valid for three years.¹⁶

⁴ The tests required to obtain the licences shall be conducted by FOCA-recognised experts in accordance with FOCA-approved directives. The admission requirements for the tests and the requirements for the renewal of the licences are specified in the directives.

¹ The holder of a foreign licence may apply to the office designated by FOCA to have the licence recognised in order that they may carry out occasional, non-commercial hang glider flights with or without an accompanying person.

² The holder of a foreign licence that entitles them to carry out an economic activity in the issuing State may apply to the office designated by FOCA to have the licence recognised in order that they may carry out training flights and commercial tandem hang glider flights in Switzerland, provided that one of the following treaties authorises them to do so:

a.

the Agreement of 21 June 1999¹⁸ between the European Community and its Member States, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation, of the other, on the free movement of persons (AFMP), Annex 3;

b.

the Convention of 4 January 1960¹⁹ on the establishment of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA Convention), Annex K.

³ Service providers with a licence giving them the right to pursue an economic activity in a Contracting State under the AFMP or the EFTA Convention (training and commercial hang glider flights with an accompanying person) shall notify the competent authority in accordance with the Federal Act of 14 December 2012²⁰ on the Declaration Requirement and the Verification of Service Provider Qualifications in Regulated Professions.

A person must carry their licence when flying a hang glider.

¹ Taking off and landing on public roads and ski pistes are prohibited.

² When flying, pilots must maintain an adequate distance from or avoid groups of people in the open air, buildings, public roads, ski pistes, public transport infrastructure such as railway lines, cableways and ski lifts, overhead electrical cables and other cables.

³ Flights over national and customs borders are permitted provided no goods are being carried; the pilot must carry the documents required to cross the border. Foreign legal provisions are reserved.

⁴ Flying hang gliders on public waters is subject to the federal legislation on the inland navigation and the relevant cantonal regulations.

⁵ The towing of hang gliders using winches, vehicles or ships to an altitude exceeding 150 m above the ground is subject to authorisation from FOCA.

⁶ In addition, the regulations applicable to gliders in Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 and the DETEC Ordinance of 20 May 2015²² on Traffic Regulations for Aircraft apply, with the exception of the regulations on minimum altitude.²³

¹ The use of hang gliders below a height of 2000 feet above the reference point of an aerodrome without a control zone (CTR) or with an inactive CTR is prohibited:²⁴

a.

within a distance of 5 km from the runways of any civil aerodrome intended for use by aircraft;

b.

within a distance of 5 km from the runways of any military aerodrome intended for use by aircraft during military flight duty times;

c.²⁵

within a distance of 2.5 km from the reference point of a helipad.

² If safety is guaranteed, exceptions to these restrictions may be authorised:

a.

at aerodromes with air traffic control services: by the air traffic control unit in agreement with the aerodrome manager;

b.

at other aerodromes: by the aerodrome manager.²⁶

¹ Third party liability claims made by third parties on the ground must be covered by the hang glider proprietor in a third party liability insurance policy with guaranteed cover of at least one million francs.

^1bis The owner of the tandem hang glider must have liability insurance for a guaranteed amount to cover passenger liability claims; the guaranteed amount for commercial flights is at least CHF 5 million, and for other flights, CHF 1 million.²⁷

² If the proprietor is resident abroad, a foreign third party liability insurance policy in his or her name with the same guaranteed cover is sufficient for flights in Switzerland, provided this policy also covers third party claims made in Switzerland.

³ The pilot must carry the third party liability insurance certificate when flying the hang glider.

¹ Hang gliders with electric motors must meet the airworthiness requirements of the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA) for gravity controlled microlight aircraft of types foot-launch UL and trike in its version of 17 March 2005²⁹ or an earlier version that was applicable at the time of type certification.

² They may only take off from and land at aerodromes.

³ Authorisation from the aerodrome manager is required for take-off and landing.

¹ Manned kites, paragliders and tethered balloons may only be flown with authorisation from FOCA. FOCA shall specify the requirements for authorisation and the operating conditions on a case-by-case basis.

² Third party liability claims made by third parties on the ground must be covered by the aircraft proprietor in a third party liability insurance policy with guaranteed cover of at least one million francs.

With the exception of the regulations on minimum altitude, the following traffic regulations apply to manned kites, paragliders and tethered balloons:

a.

in the first place, those contained in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012;

b.

the regulations contained in this Ordinance, where applicable.

Parachute jumps are subject to the regulations contained SERA.3101, 3115, 3125, 3145, 3201 und 3205.

¹ Parachute jumps over and in the vicinity of aerodromes, or in airspace of Classes C und D require authorisation.

² Authorisation is granted by the competent air traffic control unit or, if there is no such unit at the aerodrome, by the aerodrome manager.³⁴

¹ The landing area must be reconnoitred before the jump. It must be free of obstacles in relation to the type of parachute used and be marked with a clearly visible. The surface wind must be indicated by a windsock or other suitable device.

² Before a landing area is marked, permission must be obtained from the proprietor of the land.

³ Landings on public roads are prohibited. Landings in densely populated zones of settlements or on public waters are only permitted with the consent of the competent police authorities.

¹ Jumps must be made under the direct supervision of a responsible manager.

² They may only be made when an observer has confirmed by radio or signals that the required airspace is free of aircraft.

¹ Third party liability claims made by third parties on the ground must be covered by the parachute proprietor in a third party liability insurance policy with guaranteed cover of at least one million francs.

² For the case of an emergency jump, the policy for the aircraft that guarantees third party liability claims made by the third parties on the ground must also cover the use of the parachute.

³ The third party liability insurance certificate must be carried when jumping.

¹ Unmanned aircraft, in particular manned kites, paragliders, tethered balloons, free-flying balloons and model aircraft that weigh more than 30 kg may only be flown with authorisation from FOCA. The FOCA shall specify the requirements for authorisation and the operating conditions on a case-by-case basis.

² Third party liability claims made by third parties on the ground must be covered by the aircraft proprietor in a third party liability insurance policy with guaranteed cover of at least one million francs.

¹ The following traffic regulations, with the exception of the regulations on minimum altitude, apply to unmanned aircraft weighing over 30 kg:

a.

in the first place, those contained in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012;

b.

the regulations contained in this Ordinance, where applicable.

² The following traffic regulations apply to model aircraft:

a.³⁸

of those contained in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012, only SERA.3101, 3115, 3120 und 3145;

b.

the regulations contained in this Ordinance, where applicable.

¹ The following traffic regulations, with the exception of the regulations on minimum altitude, apply to unmanned aircraft weighing up to 30 kg:

a.

in the first place, those contained in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012;

b.

the regulations contained in this Ordinance, where applicable.

² The following traffic regulations apply to model aircraft:

a.⁴⁰

of those contained in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012, only SERA.3101, 3115, 3120 und 3145;

b.

the regulations contained in this Ordinance, where applicable.

It is prohibited to fly manned kites, paragliders and tethered balloons:

a.

higher than 60 m above the ground;

b.

within a distance of 3 km from the runways of any civil or military aerodrome.

¹ It is prohibited to release free-flying balloons:

a.

filled with combustible gas;

b.

carrying a load exceeding 2 kg; or

c.

with a volume exceeding 30 m³.

² The following restrictions apply within a distance of 5 km from the runways of any civil or military aerodrome:

a.

The volume of the balloon may not exceed 1 m³.

b.

No balloons with an open flame (sky lantern) or with an attached payload may be released, with the exception of competition response cards not exceeding A4 size that are attached to the balloons.

c.

No more than 300 balloons may be released at the same time.

d.

The balloons may not be tied together.

¹ Any person who flies a model aircraft weighing up to 30 kg must always maintain direct eye contact with the aircraft and must be able to steer it at all times.⁴³

² Flying model aircraft weighing between 0.5 and 30 kg is prohibited:

a.

within a distance of 5 km from the runways of any civil or military aerodrome;

b.⁴⁴

in active CTRs, if the aircraft may exceed an altitude of 150 m above the ground;

c.⁴⁵

within a radius of 100 metres from groups of people in the open, unless the flight takes place at a public air show under Article 4.

¹ Exceptions to the following restrictions may be authorised as follows:

a.

restrictions under Articles 15 letter b, 16 paragraph 2 and 17 paragraph 2: letters a and b;

1.⁴⁷

at aerodromes with air traffic control services: by the air traffic control unit in agreement with the aerodrome manager,

2.

at other aerodromes: by the aerodrome manager;

b.

restrictions under Articles 15 letter a, 16 paragraph 1 CTR: by FOCA.⁴⁸

² Such exceptions may only be authorised if the other users of the airspace and third parties on the ground are not endangered.

³ The authorisation may be made subject to conditions.

The cantons may issue regulations for unmanned aircraft that weigh less than 30 kg on the reduction of environmental pollution and on the risk to persons and property on the ground (Art. 51 para. 3 CAA).

¹ Third party liability claims made by third parties on the ground must be covered by the proprietor in a third party liability insurance policy with guaranteed cover of at least one million francs.

² Cover for third party liability claims is not required for:

a.

manned kites and paragliders that weigh less than 1.0 kg and that have a maximum climbing height of less than 60 m;

b.

tethered balloons with a load capacity of less than 0.5 kg, a load volume of less than 30 m³ and a maximum climbing height of less than 60 m;

c.

free-flying balloon with a load capacity of less than 0.5 kg and load volume of less than 30 m³;

d.

model aircraft that weigh less than 0.5 kg.

³ The third party liability insurance certificate must be carried when the aircraft are in operation.

¹ Type-certificates for model aircraft may be requested from the FOCA.

² The licensing procedure and airworthiness requirements are governed by Articles 9 paragraphs 1 and 2, and 10 of the DETEC Ordinance of 18 September 1995⁵⁰ on Airworthiness of Aircraft.

Any person who fails to comply with an obligation under Article 10 is liable to the penalties set out in Article 91 paragraph 1 letter i CAA.

The following are repealed:

a.

the Hang Glider Ordinance of 14 March 1988⁵³;

b.

the Ordinance of 14 March 1988⁵⁴ on Restrictions on Certain Aircraft and Projectiles.

…⁵⁵

Insurance cover for third party liability claims must comply with Articles 11 paragraph 2 and 20 paragraph 1 within six months at the latest after this Ordinance comes into force.

This Ordinance comes into force on 1 January 1995.