Mechanics course at La Ferté Gaucher
Today, Saturday 12 October, the Gratte-Ciel club of La Ferté Gaucher welcomed us at La Ferté Gaucher aerodrome for the level 1 mechanics course on the ROTAX 4-stroke engine.
This course followed the “parameters” course held at Chavenay on 20 April. Today’s course consisted of a 100-hour-type service and was part of the programme launched by the federation, with the aim of getting back to the fundamentals of microlighting, namely that every pilot should be responsible for maintaining his or her own machine. No fewer than 24 trainees from all over the Île-de-France responded to the mechanics course organised by the FFPLUM Île-de-France Regional Microlight Committee.
The geographical location, the quality of the facilities, the proximity and know-how of the neighbouring partners and the commitment of the club’s instructors were key arguments in the Committee’s choice of La Ferté Gaucher for this course.
After a welcome coffee, the trainees went to the classroom for the opening of the course by the Committee’s vice-president, Daniel HAAS, who then handed over to the day’s leader, Bruno GALDEANO, a microlight maintenance mechanic at Chavenay aerodrome with CAP OUEST and Dassault. After a review of the various parts of the engine, Bruno removed the engine cowlings of the machine provided for the session. The trainees then each examined the engine area to note anything they could see or thought might be a defect.
Late in the morning, after a reminder of the safety rules to follow before carrying out any work, the engine oil was drained and everyone headed to the clubhouse for a light meal prepared by the aerodrome restaurant “Entre Ciel et Terre”. The afternoon was devoted to the various stages of the service, with explanations at every point of why and how to do it.
Once the course topics had been covered as a whole and Bruno had answered the trainees’ questions, the participants gathered one last time in the classroom before parting, keen to come back for the next module.
