Looking back at Aveyrolacs
Throughout last week, in the heart of the Aveyron, the Air des Lacs club celebrated its 15 years with its traditional seaplane microlight gathering.
This annual event, now a fixture for light aviation enthusiasts,
was marked this year by capricious weather, giving a taste of autumn in the middle of August.
The first days were dampened by rain, fog and at times troublesome winds, forcing several pilots to cancel their flights.
Even so, some diehards took advantage of short windows of good weather to reach the base. Among them, pilots from Brittany, Reims, Amiens and other corners of France did not hesitate to brave the elements to take part in the adventure.
Despite the conditions, the event kept all its conviviality.
On Wednesday, more than a hundred people gathered around Paul, one of the club’s founders, and its members, to share warm moments together.
Luckily, from Friday the sky cleared to offer a real “storm of blue sky”. Seaplane microlight flights could finally be offered, delighting both the participants and the families who came to watch the show. Holidaymakers, locals and summer visitors on the beach enjoyed watching the machines rise into the sky and alight gracefully on the lake.
A fascinating sight for young and old.
This bright weekend also gave microlight pilots a fine opportunity, some of whom had never had the chance to land on water.
This unique experience generated a great deal of enthusiasm among the participants.
Friday also made it possible to organise a trip with a few machines. This exceptional route took participants over the four seaplane water areas of the Aveyron, with the participation of the AFH. Each stop, with a landing every time, was an opportunity to rehydrate or have lunch. A round trip of more than 170 km, combining the pleasure of flying with moments of relaxation.
Also worth noting was the presence of Marc Dabrigeon, head of the national seaplane flying division, who travelled from French Guiana to attend the event, as well as some members of the Board of Directors such as Francis, Georges and Laura. Their participation underlined the national importance of the gathering and showed the growing interest in this discipline, in both mainland France and the overseas territories.
In conclusion, this 15th edition of the seaplane microlight gathering at Aveyrolacs, although dampened by the weather early in the week, turned into an unforgettable occasion thanks to the perseverance of the organisers and participants.
The flights, the conviviality and the shared enjoyment made the event a real success.
The Air des Lacs club is already looking forward to next year, hoping for kinder conditions from day one so that the enjoyment lasts throughout the week.
