Build!

Season 202022 December 20212 min read

With 15 510 members at the end of 2019, the Federation reached its highest number of members since its creation, after an increase of more than 500 licences over one year. In 2021 we will celebrate the Federation's 40th anniversary, hoping to exceed 16 000 members. It is the age of maturity and of a new dynamism.

It has often been necessary to compare our sport with others to assert our originality more clearly. We have had the opportunity to restate these fundamentals in a few recent editorials ("Who does the Federation work for?" and "Flight safety and class struggle"), but it is more necessary than ever to follow our own path in a rapidly changing aviation landscape.

For the 2020 season, we will step up structuring actions such as REV (return to flying), the number of which doubled in 2019 compared with 2018, with a new and easier-to-use application; but also with the ENAC partnership, the training tutorials and regional meetings. New for 2020, we are setting up one-day federal mechanics courses across the country. We also want the Federation to create microlight bases in regions where flying has become less accessible, and we hope to start this year. We will also make promotional films for the general public in the regions with the series "Flying in France".

Four major actions will mainly mark the next two years, and will do so for a long time to come:

First of all, the delegation of the microlight theory exam, which will take effect at the beginning of 2021. This delegation will be granted by the State to the Federation alone for a period of three years, renewable. The theory exam will be taken at 50 federal centres open to non-members. This assumes that a new order on the theory exam is published from 2020. It is being finalised.
In 2021, the Federation will organise the Microlight World Show at Blois. We want to make it a great celebration of leisure aviation with all the European microlight players. We will favour a return to simplicity by making the show accessible to all manufacturers.
In 2021, the Federation will organise the paramotor world championships in the Paris region. We need to show the general public the tremendous dynamism and youthfulness of this activity.
Finally, the recent creation of the Agence nationale du Sport (ANS) will make it possible to support the Federation's actions in our clubs in every aspect of our sport. The recent appointment of Mohamed Azzouni as National Technical Adviser (CTN) marks a new relationship between our two supervisory bodies and our partners after a long process of rethinking. We will have new resources, notably with the aim of federal instruction. Things are moving, and microlighting has a good hand to play.

40 years old and in great shape! Happy flying!