I am back!!

Long time, no see… The story I am writing took place 1 year ago. It was in the summer 2016. I am now in China and a lot of things happened to me, so I haven’t taken the time to write and to make the video about.

FLYING ACROSS THE CHANEL

The video is in progress. I got some trouble and lost all my work I had done so far. Meanwhile I finish to make it, I will show you some pictures of our trip in the UK. It was a flight club event associated with Lingaero. Lingarero was our correspondent there and had organized this event with several pilots from France and England.

The goal: sharing our passion between French and English pilots.

The beginning: incertain

July 29th… TUUUUTE TUUUUUTE TUUUUTE. I jumped from my bed, knock my head on my roof — make a hole—, falling on the ground with a crash suddenly woke me up. «Winter is coming? » NO! But maybe we could say, « raining is coming ». We are about to fly into ENGLAND. Are we crazy?
I got up… weather is not very good. I have a look on my weather app. It is definitely not uncouraging.

During the past week we have prepared our trip, checking the immigration documents we need and process we will have to follow. At that moment, we choose St Malo as the first airport to land.

We cannot fly there in ounces. We have to land before crossing for two main reasons:

1. Refueling,
2. Before passing the border, we have to be controlled by the immigration.

Yet, today, the weather is going to change our plan. We all meet each other in the briefing room, checking and preparing the coming flight: crossing France, crossing the sea, landing on the raining country, and surviving with this strange language which is English.

First plan has been cancelled. It is not St-Malo where we will land. The weather is too bad, fog and rain there. It is an English weather in… France. After analysis, we decided to first land at Caens Airport for the immigration checking.

Finally, the immigration inspection has really been proceeded fast. We enjoyed our break and have changed pilot. The most interesting part of the flight is coming: Britain’s coast, crossing, English coast and the approaching. Of course, there is also the language that is announcing to be very interesting and fun.

Cotes Bretonnes & ville d’Hambourg

We are ready to cross the English Channel.

We climbed up on top (above the clouds), and step by step, we let on our back the bad weather to get a beautiful sunshine. Is not it a topsy-turvy world? Was not supposed to be cloudy or raining in the UK  and sunny in France?

We arrive in England for sure!! 4 couple of ears are trying to understand the English ATC…

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

Only one pilot had the English flying qualification to allow us to fly across England. Yet, all of us speak English and all of us were really focusing on the ATC controller. When he got our answer, he instantaneously understood we are French haha.

After a while along the British coast, we see our destination: an old military airfield, opened for private aviation. It is impressive.

We almost spent 5 even a bit more to taxi onto the apron. We taxied around the airfield by following to the path. Yet, it was amazing, we really felt to be back in the 40’s. We see a lot of old air military organization and architected, but mainly, we saw beautiful aircraft from the great past (for planes) [sorry no pictures]. After this looooooooong and interesting taxiing, it is time to drink the APEROOOOO and meet our English friends: that is the important moment and the pilot lifestyle :D.

We discovered their vintage flight club. We can enjoy this very comfortable and warm atmosphere.

Jam organized the things very well. After all pilots arriving, we went to the restaurant with a view on the sea. AND it won’t be the only one we did, we also went to a very good Indian restaurant. Moreover, 2 years later, he ordered food from this restaurant to deliver in Saucats, airport near Bordeaux.

Yet, 1 pilot was missing in the first evening, he will arrive one day later. The weather on the French coast became worse. Fortunately, he was here to enjoy the other restaurant and the event Jam planned.

Coast Museum

Excepting flying, sleeping, flying, that moment was also the opportunity to share a piece of history. All we were so enthusiastic to visit the museum. We are not only interested by planes, but actually, all are interesting from our eyes. That WE, we went back to the past by visiting a dockyard of Portsmouth. And what is really good with that ticket (cheap): not only that is open for visiting… but several attractions like: submarine visit, docks visiting (by boat, and see current military boats). It was very interesting, I recommend to all like history. As every time, the atmosphere was very goood and friendly. Oooh, I forgot to mention another pilot from Angoulême flight club, whose came to join us. He was working at 1h far away.

We are in England, going to the English pub was mandatory. We drunk soooo much then at the end we saw the time flying back:

For sure, Jam did not only planned the event and the restaurant. He also thinks about our rest time and helped us to book a Hotel. He also handled the transportation (very confortable), whereas we enjoyed the Hotel breakfast each morning…

Already 2 days done. It is already time to fly back home :'((((.

We got refueling without moving our plane :D.

Pictures are coming on the next articles.

For english native… sorry for my bad English :S :D.