Close to Christmas (again...)

This has been a great flying year in despite the not always cooperative weather... greater in terms of quality (100%) than quantity (42 h)....
A year ago I did my first flight after completely rebuilding my plane after the the incident you have seen in my film "I had a dream" back in August 2013 (see it HERE again).
The real flying started in March with fine-tuning of the plane (and the rusty pilot). After long preparation, and thanks to good weather, I got my "revenge" when completing my "tour de France" in a 2 week flying adventure that you can see in the film "Old Dreams Never Die" (see it HERE again or scroll down to the previous post). 

I hope your year was as good and that 2017 will be even better!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Sorry, no new Christmas film this year but this one is almost a tradition by now...

For a better viewing experience see the film directly on YouTube by clicking HERE

Old Dreams Never Die

NOTE Muted by YouTube!
Without forehand notice this film has recently been muted by YouTube. This is due to copyright issues with 2 of the songs in the film. As I don't make any money on my films I count on YouTube monetizing them to pay the copyright owners. Works perfectly 99% of time... but not this time, the author of 2 songs refused and the entire film is muted...  I will be uploading a new version shortly.
This is the story about my 2 weeks flying in France during August 2016. 
The trip start close to the alpes and the first destination is the Loire valley castles before going to the Atlantic coast and the 3 islands Belle Ile, Ile d'Yeu and Ile d'Oleron. From the islands down the coast to the Basque country before going inland to Massive Centrale and the center of France. The trip end with a short visit to the annual Ultra light festival at Blois before heading back to the mountains.

For a better viewing experience and control over resolution settings (the film is available in Full HD) you can view directly at YouTube by clicking here (opens a new  browser window)

French Avid Flyer Association Meeting 2016

While preparing the film about my long flight this summer I just finished a "souvenir film" from this year's French Avid Flyer Association meeting. It is not really telling a story or showing any amazing scenery, it is just a souvenir and probably of little interest to anyone outside of the association....
The meeting was held at Sagy, a private airfield, in Burgundy. The chicken with crayfish (a classic french dish) at the restaurant and the grilled chicken Sunday lunch was obviously local, from Bresse (where else?) but the champagne was flown in by auto-gyro!

The (happy) end of a long journey

In short

• 14 days
• 3 islands 
• 17 airfields
• 2750+ km (straight line but I never fly straight line except over open water...)
• 28+ engine hours (total 108h16)
• No issues

See also posts from August 16th, 18th, 20th and 24th

Only a few days left and the trip continued over Massif Centrale at the center of France.

I spent a night at Brignode, an airstrip with a normally very nice, but this time closed, restaurant...

Call Cathy  in advance to make sure the restaurant is not closed...

I headed west the following day to the airstrip where my first (previous) plane live nowadays. I knew the owner would not be there but I was expected by other members of the local club.

Volcanic lakes

Artificial lakes

It was nice to see the J3 Kitten again. I have a lot of excellent memories (including my first engine failure...) from this plane.

J3 Kitten

I had planned to sleep here but run into a British couple waiting for friends arriving from the UK in their ultralight - they were all going to the France based English Ultra light flying school "Wanafly Airsports" who organized a "Chilli and Cheese Fly In"... Irresistible and only 10 minutes flight away I rapidly found myself invited..!

Wanafly Airsports - a corner of paradise!

The Kittens playing at the Wanafly Fly In Chilli and Cheese party

I spent a fantastic evening with wonderful people, excellent chilli, French cheese and top notch live music! 

We are now getting very close to the end of my trip and the last stop is Blois where the 35th edition of Europe's biggest Ultralight Fair and Festival take place.

Blois is the place to meet all the people, see all the products and feel the new trends. The rotor wing trend we have seen over the last years continues with refinement of auto gyros and new sexy helicopters. 

There is also a a strong trend for high performance, fixed wing, planes. Most are from eastern Europe but there was even a Swedish (!) plane presented. If you are not flirting with 300 km/h you will be laughed at... Most (all?) of those are really on (over?) the limit of ultralight according to the French regulations and, while very attractive, not really in the ultra light spirit...

The Shark

More in the ultralight spirit was the replicas presented, I particularly liked the Stampe (1:1 scale) replica that will fit regulations, nostalgia dreams and ultralight spirit.

I noticed what I hope to be a new trend, an increase in tail wheel planes. Back to basics. I like that.

When taking off the next morning the weather had degraded, temperatures were lower and I even had some rain on the way back home.

Not stopping for lunch I served myself an complimentary in flight snack...

Always complimentary chocolate milk and cookies on our flights

Arriving at my home base I had a strong feeling of accomplishment. This flight has been in my dreams for over 3 years now and it was even better in real life!

Yesss! I did it!

The last island

As expected, Monday morning the wind had dropped and I could continue my journey. 

Leaving Ile d'Yeu

Traditional extraction of sea salt

Next stop was Ile d'Oleron, the last of the 3 islands. Having lost 2 days I planned only a lunch and on the VAC it said "restaurant at the airfield".

Approaching Ile d'Oleron (oyster culture I think...)

When arriving, in a rather different but very nice restaurant, it was to be informed by the owner, having his lunch with his parents, that the restaurant is closed on Mondays (and Tuesdays as we were past the magic French date "August15th"....) BUT if I didn't mind sharing their bread, sausage, pate, ham and melon I was more than welcome... 

The closed but still welcoming restaurant

A very nice meal and the father's stories from his career as helicopter pilot continued while he drove me to the filling station in his cabriolet...

The Courdouan lighthouse and sandbanks where the Gironde river meet the sea

Beach at the Atlantic coast

After that, 2 days with my wife and children in the Basque country before taking off for the center of France. 

Meeting up with wife and children

The mountain in the center of France, Massif Central, consist of rather low mountains and plateau. Compared to the alps, cross country is easy as there is easy to find places for eventual emergency landings (always know where to land!). While in the middle of the summer and thermal activity at it's maximum there conditions, even at mid day are calm compared to the alps. 

An impressive bend of the Lot river

I'm in Dordogne and settled down down for the night.

When in Dordogne duck breast is the given dinner...

So much for sightseeing... I noted a greater than normal EGT difference between the 2 cylinders and took out the spark plugs. One spark plug had some "stuff" between the electrode and whatever the other part is called... I cleaned them and the temperature was back to normal. My theory is that they don't like to start drowned in oil... While the new, longer, sparkplugs allows me to start even after a longer period of rest one sparkplug of each cylinder is still drowned in oil whilst the other is protruding and allows the engine to start. So, short stop not a problem, longer stop better purge the oil before starting. 

It is very hot here, 37 degrees celsius, 100 Fahrenheit, and the engine is taking excessive RPM at takeoff if I pull full throttle. When I grow up I will get an in flight adjustable prop...

To be followed...

Grounded in paradise

In my dreams I'm an amazingly skilled daredevil pilot, flying in any condition and never afraid of anything. Well, today is reality and I find the gusty crosswind too strong both here for takoff and where I'm supposed to go next to be comfortable.

A very useful site Windyty.com

And it is expected to be the same tomorrow... Unless there come a dramatic change in the weather I will stay another 2 nights here.

Port-Joinville by night

You don't have to feel sorry for me, where are worse places to be grounded than Ile d'Yeu....

Port de la Meule

And it gives me ample time to prepare both myself and the plane for the next leg.

Refueling made easy with an electric bike 

The next island...

After spending a day biking around the beautiful island of Belle Ile it was time to take off to the next destination; Ile d'Yeu. I had planned to leave mid morning but rain, low clouds and strong winds forced me to wait until 16:00 before taking off. There are worse ways to spend a few hours than finding a nice restaurant by the docks in Le Palais at Belle Ile....

The clouds dissipated and the wind showed a tendency to weaken, time to take off. I could not resist tour of the island before leaving...

Belle Ile living up to it's name

Aftre 2 hours I approached Ile d'Yeu, a place I adore after visiting several times (by ferry...).

Port-Joinville Ile d'Yeu

For me, landing at the Ile d'Yeu airfield was another important milestone on this trip.

Tied down at the Ile d'Yeu airfield

Back to basics... the Simonini Victor 2 appears to like the maritime climate. The air was cooler and as I flying high when transiting over the sea I used my new cabin heater (working very well) the engine temperatures remained low. There was nothing to make me feel uncomfortable while flying over open water.

To be followed...

Old dreams never die...

If you followed this blog you know that 3 years ago I started a flight around France, planned for a week but interrupted when stopped (by a hard landing) at lunch the first day. If you go to my youtube page you can see the film ("I had a dream"). Well, revenge is a dish best served cold... so after 3 years, including the complete re-build of my plane, it was time to revive my dream.

With few changes to the initial plan I started my dream trip this Monday (August 15th). I must admit it was with a certain apprehension I landed (very successfully this time) for lunch at the same airfield as 3 years ago. 

I continued my trip by flying over a selection of the Loire valley castles. Between the ones I had planned for I discovered more castles than you can shake a stick at. (By the way, I'm asking to be educated, so if someone knows the origin of this lovely expression please post it in the comment/question section.)

Le Château de Chambord

Le Château de Chenonceau

After the castles I spent the night a tiny, private, airfield. I had called in advance and was met by local pilots as friendly as their clubhouse was charming... I will be returning!

The Jacopeau clubhouse

In this charming clubhouse there is a bar, a kitchen, shower and a beds for passing pilots... My plane slept in the hangar while I declined the bed and slept outside in my tent in the (slightly) fresher night - it is exceptionally hot here at the moment.

The second day I continued towards the Atlantic coast flying over amazing sceneries.. 

While far from finished I feel I can declare this adventure a success - I have reached the first of the islands, Belle Ile:

Le Palais Belle Ile

Admire the absolutely charming control tower...

Belle Ile control tower, arrival and departure halls, airport bar and offices,.. 

"Belle Ile" means the beautiful island, I will be spending all day tomorrow exploring the island but so far it looks very promising.

OK, I know, you are not following my blog to read about my holidays and other of my wet dreams so back to basics... I'm now at almost 90 hours on the Simonini and the last 8 has been in very hot conditions. The engine is behaving very well, no issues starting and well in flight. I removed the last strip of alu tape on the radiator at my first landing as the hot weather slightly increased the normal temperatures. Level flight around 65 degrees Celsius and about 80 when climbing. No issues to report.

To be followed...

  

Le Temps des Hélices

If you are in France, or close-by, don't miss Le Temps des Hélices, this weekend. Probably the finest meeting we have here.
And for those of you who will miss it, I'll post some photos here next week...

Visiting some closeby airfields

After a slow spring we finally got some excellent weather - and a long weekend with time for both flying and family...

I logged a little over 2 1/2 hours while visiting 5 neighboring airfields. I was not the only one frustrated by too many rainy weekends, most hangars I visited were empty and it sounded like a beehive on the non controlled airfield frequency 123.5...

I now have just over 70 hours on the Simonini (and just under 8 hours since rebuilding the plane). Not much to report, the engine is starting easily, running smooth and producing more power than you could ask for. The plane, after the rebuild, has never felt better.

No areal photos or film this time, just the same model posing at each stop... (click the photos for slideshow mode)

First stop: Saint Jean d'Avelanne LFKH

Second stop: Belley LFKY

Third stop: Corlier Altiport LFJD

Corlier from a third down the runway (16% slope)

Corlier (see it in winter in my film Apocalypse Snow)

Fourth stop: Perouges LFHC

Fifth stop: Morestel LFHI

... and home again...