Wolf11
You are perfectly right, "vol à voile" (litt : sail flying) means gliding. A glider pilot is either called "pilote de planeur" (that's what's printed on my licence booklet) or "vélivole".
The french noun is "vol", which means both flight or flying and robbery. The corresponding verb is "voler", which means both "to fly" and "to rob".
However, "voleur" is always a thief.
The verb "planer" means "to glide".
"volplaning" comes from "vol plané" (litt: "gliding flight")(
see here)
The joystick was invented by Robert Esnault-Pelterie in 1907, but I doubt he called it joystick, as he was French. The original name is "manche à balai" (litt : broomstick). (
see here )
HTH