16 frogs and two toads across the Atlantic...
In a effort to revitalize General Aviation in Europe, the French aviation magazine Aviation & Pilote, Dassault, the manufacturer of the Falcon series business Jets, have teamed up to organize the ultimate 100$ hamburger Trip!
On July 17th, 25 planes will leave the famous airfield "Le Bourget", the very place where Lindbergh landed in 1927 after his record setting flight across the Atlantic. Their destination will be Oshkosh, WI, where the pilots plan to attend Airventure 2005.
Far from being professionals, all the members of the flotilla had a dream in common: cross the Atlantic as pilot in command. Their experience ranges from 200 hours total to more than 10 000 hours. For the vast majority it will be the first transatlantic flight. Following a typical French tradition the "compagnonage", companionship, the most experienced pilots will make sure that their experience will be passed on to the younger pilots. An IR rated pilot will be aboard each plane.
Almost all of them are AOPA France members.
It is probably the first time since the second world war that so many planes will cross the Atlantic, not in a race, but as a team.
The trip will take a week, initiating in Paris and from there to Aberdeen, Reykjavik, Kulusuk, Sondre Strom Fjord, Iqualuit, Schefferville, Montreal, Burlington, Fond-du-Lac and finally Oshkosh. A week later, all the planes will leave for Paris.
The biggest challenge is to make sure that Avgas will be available on all airfields. The flotilla needs to purchase at least 5000 liters of the precious fluid at each stop.
Companies such as Exxon, Sporty's, SMA, Snecma, Dassault, Eurocopter, EADS, Socata have shown a tremendous support for this project. Dassault has been so enthused by the project that they have decided to fly themselves with us. Using a Falcon ? Too easy ! The Airventure visitors will be able to admire 2 Dassault MD 312 Flamant. These aircraft are the first to bear the name Dassault and are fine example of what the French manufacturer built in the very early fifties. They are light observation twins that are superbly restored and flown regularly in the air show circuit. The other planes range from the Wassmer 54 (the first all composite certified plane in the world), an European equivalent of a Cherokee 180 to the TBM 700, the French turboprop.
Equipage
Immat
Type
Martel/Davidson
FBXCM
WA54
hermant
OO SFL
AC 11
Girardot
FGBQA
C182
Soudry/Deure
F-GIPE
M20J
Gillioz
FGKSS
BE58
Odolant
FAZDR
MD312
Gibaut
FAZVG
MD312
COURTOIS
FGETF
PA23
Callies
N77GJ
M20R
Mariani
N5382W
SR20
Couston
M20J
M20J
BARBA
FGEBD
BE 36
Goldet
FGLJL
BE55
Deschamps
FGSZJ
TB20
Kern
LXNOP
MERLIN III
David
FGMPM
KING 90B
Fabry
N702BM
TBM700
Jayet
FGJET
C182 D SMA
4 other planes are currently making their trials, including 2 Diamond
DA42 Twin Star diesels and a Lancair IV.
For additional information:
Emmanuel S. Davidson
+331 4964 1384 Bureau
+331 4964 1302 Fax
+336 8074 9964 Mobile
[email protected]