Club of the month: ULM Club de Pouilly

Federation news12 September 20224 min read

News from 12 September 2022. It has not been updated since it was published: some information may have changed. Latest news

THE CORNER FOR FINE FLIGHTS STEEPED IN HISTORY

They say it is a region of good living, good food and good drink, and that in these places steeped in history the spirits of Marie of Burgundy and Charles the Bold still hover.

So, if you ever feel like a little aerial getaway, come and land at Pouilly-Maconge aerodrome (LFEP) in the heart of Burgundy, on a fine 850x50 grass runway. From there you can range over this whole beautiful region, and you will be made very welcome.

To the north, the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, Fontenay Abbey, Vézelay. To the east, hover above Châteauneuf, fly over Dijon and head for the Jura, a delight when the first snow falls, then back up to Langres and take a tour around it. If you go south: Beaune, the Côte and its vineyards painted in golden-brown colours in autumn, the Clos Vougeot, Meursault, La Rochepot, and further down the Saône valley. Towards the west, you will discover the Morvan hills with their lakes and forests, Autun, Mont Beuvray… There is plenty to feast your eyes on and many places to land.

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From Pouilly, it is a quick flight to the Jura © JMC

AN ORIGINAL, FLEXIBLE MODEL

It is in this setting that our Club ULM de Pouilly–Maconge nestles. On 4 June 2022 we celebrated its 40th anniversary. The oldest members love to tell of their first adventures. It was the time of the pioneers, of weight-shift machines with more or less temperamental engines, and the locals still remember seeing strange machines land in the surrounding fields.

These pioneers set out the principles of the club, and over time, thanks to the will and energy of everyone, it has grown: solidarity, commitment and safety are its watchwords.

Run as a non-profit association under the 1901 law, our microlight club is a model that comes close to the mutual-society model, which is said to be rare, if not unique, among our clubs. All roles are voluntary, and the presidency is limited by the statutes to three years, allowing everyone to get involved and create new energy. The club owns all the machines, financed partly from its own funds and partly by loan. There is therefore no private owner.

In addition to the subscription as a member of the Association, each member provides the club with regular funding through a monthly running contribution, currently 80 €. In return, each pilot gets 16 flying hours a year, which are not carried over to the following year if they are not used. If, on the other hand, the pilot exceeds the quota, the hours are charged as extra hours.

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Solidarity is one of the watchwords in our club © JMC

SPECIAL ATTENTION FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL TAKE OVER

We currently have 38 members, 4 of them under 25, including Hugo, who has just turned 15, and the oldest, Claude, aged 91. Still a member, he takes just as much pleasure in flying as a pair with one or another of us.

In the spirit of solidarity that drives our club, we pay particular attention to welcoming young people, who get preferential rates until they are 25. Their training package for the licence, for example, is 250 € instead of 500 € for an adult, while their subscription is 50 € a month instead of 80 €

In 2021, two young people aged 16 and 23 earned their licences.

A FINE, VARIED FLEET

We currently own 6 machines. Three weight-shift machines: one Air Création and two DTAs; two three-axis machines: a Ninja and a Super Guépard; and a Magni 16 gyroplane. Maintenance is carried out by Daniel and Hubert, our regularly trained mechanics. Four instructors, Jean-Yves, Philippe, Bernard and Jean-Louis, provide training, including a compulsory safety day that goes back over the fundamentals.

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A GOOD PLACE TO BE

A human-sized club, it is a good place to be. Outings, maintenance days, open days, the General Assembly: so many moments to get together in that warm atmosphere so dear to Burgundians and their good living… Don’t hesitate, come and visit us; we will always have somewhere for you to fly over and a friendly moment to share.

Jean-Michel Caillet