Executive Summary

The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (BAZL) rejected the conversion application submitted by the Obwalden Airfield Cooperative (FGOW) for the former Kägiswil military airfield on 15 July 2026. The FGOW sought to convert the airfield for civilian purposes such as pilot training and submitted the application in May 2021. The procedure failed because the FGOW was unable to provide required consent declarations from landowners – a decision confirmed by the Federal Administrative Court. The limited building rights contract with armasuisse expires at the end of September 2026; return of the airfield is planned for January 2027.

Persons

  • BAZL (Federal Office of Civil Aviation; Authority)
  • armasuisse (Swiss Defence Procurement; Owner)

Topics

  • Aviation Law
  • Airfield Licensing
  • Military Conversion
  • Administrative Procedure

Clarus Lead

The rejection signals strict interpretation of administrative procedures by the BAZL: Subsequent project modifications and missing landowner consent lead to failure, even when the original proposal is legitimate. For Swiss airfield operators, this means increased requirements for conversion projects – complete documentation and consensus among all stakeholders are non-negotiable. The decision also demonstrates the limits of administrative flexibility during ongoing procedures.

Detailed Summary

The conversion procedure for Kägiswil followed the applicable SIL object sheet dated 2 September 2020 and required three components: operating permit, operating regulations, and plan approval. During the public consultation period, numerous objections were received by the BAZL – an indicator of local or safety-related concerns.

In December 2023, the BAZL ruled that the FGOW must submit missing consent declarations from landowners within the airfield perimeter. The FGOW lodged a complaint; however, the Federal Administrative Court confirmed the BAZL's position. Since these declarations could not be provided, the entire procedure collapsed. Additionally complicating matters: The FGOW requested substantial project modifications in 2026, which the BAZL could not consider since they were not part of the original application.

The ruling dated 15 July 2026 is subject to appeal to the Federal Administrative Court. In parallel, armasuisse is managing the return of the airfield in accordance with the building rights contract by January 2027.

Key Findings

  • The BAZL rejects the conversion of the Kägiswil military airfield – reason: missing landowner consent and subsequent project modifications
  • The Federal Administrative Court confirmed the BAZL decision; the procedure has thus failed
  • The building rights contract with armasuisse expires in September 2026; return planned for January 2027

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence: What specific objections were received during the public consultation period, and on what safety or spatial planning concerns were these based?

  2. Conflicts of Interest: Which landowners refused their consent, and what economic or private interests were behind this?

  3. Procedural Fairness: Could the BAZL have considered the project modifications requested in 2026 in a separate procedure, or was the rejection procedurally mandatory?

  4. Causality: Were the missing consent declarations the primary failure criterion, or did the numerous objections play a decisive role?

  5. Feasibility: What alternatives exist for the FGOW after the return – can other sites be used for pilot training?

  6. Transparency: Why were the project modifications only requested in 2026, although the procedure had been ongoing since 2021?

Sources

Primary Source: Switzerland-EU Package (Bilateral III) – Federal Council Statement on BAZL Decision Kägiswil

Supplementary Sources:

  1. BAZL – SIL Object Sheet Kägiswil
  2. BAZL – Ruling dated 15.07.2026 in the conversion procedure

Verification Status: ✓ 16.07.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 16.07.2026