Optimists!
News from 19 March 2020. Last updated on 21 March 2020: some information may have changed. Latest news
Pascal writes in the Pensées:
"When I have sometimes set myself to consider the various agitations of men, and the perils (…) from which spring so many quarrels, passions, bold and often wicked undertakings, etc., I have often said that all the unhappiness of men arises from one single thing, which is that they do not know how to stay quietly in a room. A man who has enough to live on, if he knew how to stay at home with pleasure, would not leave it to go to sea or to besiege a town."
For pilots, instructors and managers who are drawn to nature and mechanical sports, often passionate about the sea and the mountains, active in community life, and driven by a taste for passing things on and for projects, being confined is therefore a real mental revolution.
The frenzy of social media, the difficulty of working remotely, the cramped family quarters and the loss of the most basic points of contact in life do not make things easier. Yet, more than ever, it is thanks to our civic spirit and the support of the emergency services and all health professionals that we will get through this exceptional crisis, which is not a war in the classic sense of the word.
It therefore goes without saying, even if the authorities' communication may seem uncertain, that flights, even purely private ones, even above one's own home, must not be undertaken. The Federation does not make the regulations, and it is not for us to say that VFR flights are prohibited. A fatal accident, wrongly linked to a microlight by some media (we had it corrected), mobilised 28 firefighters. What more is there to say?
It also goes without saying that all calendar and administrative deadlines, examinations and refresher requirements concerning microlights will have to be postponed. It is likely that forthcoming ordinances will clarify this point, which concerns all administrations.
It also goes without saying that this crisis will deeply affect the resources devoted to sport and leisure activities. But it would be a mistake to want to sacrifice them right now. Aviation has always inspired dreams; it is a sensational experience. Young people will need meaningful activities, sport and culture more than ever, rather than hollow virtual socialising or a sanitised digital workspace.
Despite this exceptional upheaval, we must stay optimistic, because science, which is "without borders" (like aviation), will overcome this pandemic. We must also be optimistic because our humanity will surely emerge stronger from this painful ordeal.
We must therefore prepare for the end of the crisis. The Federation remains at your service, and head office has adapted to work normally. We have set up a COVID-19 monitoring unit that supports event organisers, clubs and affiliated companies. The Executive Board meets every week (remotely). Elected officials and managers are listening to you. We will have to hold out for the long haul; this is a marathon, not a 100-metre sprint. We will communicate every week through the newsletter.
Any initiatives or ideas that could help collectively will be welcome. Going it alone is not on the agenda, nor are side issues.
Take care of your loved ones and of yourself.
