I am back!!

Wow, it’s been a while! This story actually unfolded back in the summer of 2016. Life has taken me to China since then, and so much has happened that I never got around to finishing the write-up—or editing the video.

But better late than never, right? Let’s dive back in!

FLYING ACROSS THE CHANEL

Video Update & Throwback The video is almost there—though I hit a snag and lost my progress (tech gremlins strike again!). While I put the finishing touches on it, here’s a sneak peek with photos from our UK adventure!

This was a flight club event organized with Lingaero, our fantastic UK contact. Pilots from France and England came together for an unforgettable trip. Stay tuned for the full story! ✈️🇬🇧📸

(More to come soon!)

The mission: Bridging skies and friendships—bringing French and English pilots together to share our passion for flying.

The beginning: incertain

July 29th – The Wake-Up Call TUUUUTE TUUUUUTE TUUUUTE! My alarm jolted me awake—straight into the ceiling. CRASH. I hit the floor, dazed.

« Winter is coming? » Nope. But rain? Oh, rain was coming.

I rubbed my eyes and checked the weather app. Not exactly promising. Still, we were about to fly to England. Were we mad?

Final Countdown The past week was all about preparation: verifying immigration paperwork, planning our route, and selecting St Malo as our first landing spot.

Why the Stop? Flying directly to England wasn’t an option. Two critical reasons:

• Refueling – St Malo gave us the range we needed.
• Border Control – We had to clear immigration before crossing the Channel.

Adventure—and paperwork—awaited!

Plan B: Weather Strikes

We gathered in the briefing room, ready to tackle our epic route: crossing France, braving the Channel, landing in rainy England, and somehow surviving their mysterious language.

But the weather had other ideas. St-Malo was a no-go—fog and rain had rolled in, bringing English weather to France. After some quick analysis, we pivoted: Caen Airport became our new first stop for immigration. Flexibility is key in aviation!

Smooth Sailing (So Far!)

Immigration at Caen was surprisingly quick. We stretched our legs, swapped pilots, and geared up for the real adventure:

• Britain’s coastline in sight
• The Channel crossing
• English airspace and landing
• And, of course, the always entertaining language barrier ahead.

Let the fun begin!

Cotes Bretonnes & ville d’Hambourg

Engines humming, checks complete—we’re cleared to cross the English Channel!

Above the Clouds

We climbed higher, breaking through the gray—leaving the gloom below—only to find brilliant sunshine above. Talk about a topsy-turvy world! Wasn’t it supposed to be rainy in the UK and sunny in France? Mother Nature loves a good plot twist.

Touchdown in England!

We made it—officially in England! 🇬🇧✈️

Now, the real challenge: four pairs of ears straining to decode the rapid-fire English ATC. « Say again? » becomes our new mantra.

 » Did you get what he said? » « Yes, I did! »

Only one of us had the official English flying qualification—but we all leaned in, ears glued to the radio, trying to keep up with the ATC.

The moment we responded? The controller instantly knew: « Ah, the French have arrived! »

After tracing the British coastline, there it was: our destination—an old military airfield, now a haven for private aviation. The sheer scale and history of the place were impressive.

We spent over five minutes just taxiing to the apron—following the winding paths, soaking in the atmosphere. It was like stepping back into the 1940s: vintage military buildings, historic hangars, and legendary warbirds parked around us. (No photos, but the memory is crystal clear!)

And after that epic taxi ride? The real priority: apérooo time and reuniting with our English pilot friends. That’s the pilot life!

Their flight club was a gem—steeped in history, yet cozy and welcoming. The kind of place where stories flow as freely as the drinks, and every corner whispers of aviation’s golden age. Pure magic.

Jam had everything perfectly planned. First, we gathered at a seaside restaurant with a stunning ocean view. But the culinary adventures didn’t stop there—oh no! We also feasted at an amazing Indian restaurant.

And get this: two years later, Jam arranged for that same Indian restaurant to deliver all the way to Saucats Airport near Bordeaux. Now that’s dedication to good food and great memories!

One pilot couldn’t join us the first evening—the French coast weather had other plans. But luck was on his side: he arrived just in time for the legendary Indian dinner and the rest of Jam’s epic itinerary. Timing is everything!

Coast Museum

History Takes Flight Between flying and catching up on sleep, we seized the chance to dive into history. Our group—always curious about everything, not just planes—was thrilled to explore Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard.

The ticket was a steal, granting access to: submarine tours, boat rides through the docks (with views of active military vessels!), a journey back in time

The vibe, as always, was unbeatable—full of laughter and shared excitement. And a huge thanks to our Angoulême pilot, who drove an hour straight after work just to be part of the fun. Now that’s dedication!

No trip to England is complete without a proper pub crawl—and we took that very seriously. The hours flew by (along with a few pints), and before we knew it… time to fly home!

Jam didn’t just organize the event and meals—he thought of everything. Comfortable hotel bookings, smooth transportation, and even breakfast sorted each morning. All we had to do was show up and enjoy. Absolute legend!

Time to Head Home 😥 Two incredible days—already over. Time to fly back to France… but not without one last perk: refueling without even moving the plane! 😄✈️

(Pictures and more stories coming soon in the next posts! And to our English friends—thank you for your patience with my French-accented English!)