120 secondes - Les forces aériennes suisses ne sont disponibles que pendant les heures de bureau

120 Seconds: Special Guest Interviews

[Host] We're revisiting the hijacking
of an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing

yesterday morning in the Geneva airport.

After the crisis was over, we learned that
jets from the Italian and French armies

escorted the plane, the Swiss Air Force
being unavailable until 8 A.M.

So, we had hoped to talk to the air force
chief of staff, but he couldn't join us.

[Guest] No, because it's not
8 A.M. yet. [chuckles]

[Host] And so Lieutenant-Colonel
Karl-Heinz Inäbnit is here instead.

[Inäbnit] Yes, Chief of Staff Müller
is a good friend of mine.

He sends his regards.

[Host] Thank you.

[Inäbnit] I ate dinner with him yesterday
at 6 P.M. and he explained to me

how all this works, so I can answer
your questions.

[Host] Great. So you confirm that
the air force starts working at 8 A.M.?

[Inäbnit] No! Work starts at 7:15 A.M.
First we have to start up the

computer, which takes 2, 3 minutes since
we use Windows 95.

Then we see if we received any e-mails,
such as e-mails declaring war or whatnot.

After that, we have to move the planes
out of the garage, do a little "psh psh"

on the windows, and after that we
have some coffee, and then we're ready.

[Host] Yesterday, the air force's
spokesman also confirmed to the Geneva

Tribune that the Swiss jets
could not fly until after 8 A.M., and then

only until noon -

[Inäbnit] Yes.

[Host] - then again from 1:30 to 5:00,
so basically during office hours, right?

[Inäbnit] Yeah, because at noon, there's
a break -

[Host] Mhm.

[Inäbnit] - for lunch.

Then at 5:30, well, obviously, we have to
do a little "psh psh" again and then

put the planes in the garage for the night
to make sure no kids come to break off the

side mirrors or slash the tires, you know.

[Host] So if we total it up, Colonel,
that's 7.5 available hours out of 24.

[Inäbnit] Yes.
[Host] So our skies aren't protected

for 2/3 of the day, then.
[Inäbnit] Oh no, they're always protected,

but obviously, we outsource protection
during the night, obviously,

and during breaks as well.

[Host] So, in these days when the Swiss
people fight against mass immigration,

it's a prickly issue, this story, because
who can imagine more massive immigration

than that done by foreign jets -
[Inäbnit] Yes.

[Host] - especially if they come
attack a plane in Swiss air space.

[Inäbnit] Yeah, all that, that's because
of money. The army needs more dough

obviously, we don't have enough cash,
because, you see, it's expensive to

have teams available 24/7. It's also for
that reason that we need to buy Gripens.

Obviously, we need the Gripen.

[Host] Advocates of the Gripen are using
this incident to push for buying new jets.

[Inäbnit] Yeah, because the Gripen has
a pilot's seat that's fully reclinable.

Like in first class. And there's also
footrests that you can raise, so

you can sleep in the plane, you see.
[Host] Is that so?

[Inäbnit] Yeah, and there's also an alarm
clock in it, so if there's a hijacking

or a declaration of war, the pilot can
wake up and head into the skies.

[Host] I see.
[Inäbnit] And then there's also a tray

that comes up for you to put lunch on.
[Host] Oh, so you don't have to go

somewhere else to eat it.
You can just eat in the cockpit.

[Inäbnit] Yeah, a flight attendant
brings the lunch, you take the lunch -

[Host] Beef or chicken...

[Inäbnit] - and the pilot can eat
chicken or beef.

[Host] Got it. The Gripen has another
advantage, which is it's better suited

for night-flying, right?
[Inäbnit] Yes, because the Gripen has

lights and reflectors on the back.
[Host] Oh.

That way, if another plane comes up behind
the Gripen -

[Host] They see it?
[Inäbnit] They see it.

[Host] Right.
[Inäbnit] Right.

So obviously, if you wish to fight the
immigration of French and Italien pilots,

on May 18th, you must, logically -
[Host] Vote for -

[Inäbnit] Vote "yes" for the Gripen.
We need the Gripen.

[Host] I think your message is very clear -
[Inäbnit] The Gripen is indispensable -

[Host] Gripen is great.
[Inäbnit] Gripen is great!

[Host] Lieutenant-Colonel, thank you
for coming on today and explaining

the inner-workings of the Swiss air force,
I hope you have a great day.

[Inäbnit] Ah, look, in five minutes,
the sky will be ours once again. Ha ha!

[Host] Ha ha.
[Inäbnit] How delightful.

120 Seconds: Special Guest Interviews

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