In Esther’s own words
Posted in Latest News
Tagged airbus, airplane, airport, aopa, aviation, centennial, england, english channel, eurocopter, female friendly, flight, fly, fly it forward, france, frederick, girl, goldstripes aviation, harriet quimby, headcorn, helene dutrieu, helicopter, jazz band, le touquet, learning to fly, les bons z'enfants d'etaples, pilot, pink floyd, seaplane, sennheiser, ulm, ultralight, Women
Comments Off
Catching the Flying Bug at Le Touquet
As a first-time traveler to France and someone who can manage only a few French phrases, I felt so welcomed in the city of Le Touquet Paris-Plage for this weekend’s centennial celebration of the first woman to cross the English Channel in 1912.
The coastal resort town where we landed after flying over the Channel on Saturday is also celebrating its 100th year anniversary this year. The townspeople welcomed the influx of aviators with open arms, and I enjoyed my stay there immensely.
Sunday morning, we went on a bicycle tour to see the local sights. We started at Le Touquet Airport, and one of our first stops was a beautiful overlook of the Canche estuary, which flows into the English Channel.
We followed a well-used bicycle and pedestrian path along the estuary until we reached the shore of the English Channel and Le Touquet’s very long beach. Then we cycled through the historic part of the town, admiring the variety of architecture among the villas in Le Touquet, as well as the abundance of trees.
One of the wonderful things about staying the day after the Channel crossing was the opportunity to spend some time with the international pilots who made the trip – pilots from England, from Ireland, Switzerland, France, the United States, Canada, etc.
These conversations deepened my understanding of what it takes to become a pilot and the variety of paths one takes. Some pilots start flying in their 40s, when they hit a mid-life crisis or after their children have left the nest. Others make it a priority in their teens and 20s; some wait until post-retirement. While some pilots fly Boeing jets, others fly a Columbia 400. Some pilots fly as a side passion, others dedicate their careers to aviation.
One of the pilots I met, Jane Planchon, is a firefighter…in the air. That’s right, she controls wildfires with water from her airplane. When I talked with Jane, she helped me to understand the conflicting feelings these pilots often experience: They know that the fires are disastrous for the people who are affected, but the pilots benefit in a way because they get to do what they most enjoy – fly.
Annette Mason (left) and Barbara Ganson
Another pilot I met, Barbara Ganson, hails from the United States – like me! She teaches aviation history at Florida Atlantic University. Barbara was quite the media star this weekend since she participated in the event while dressed like Harriet Quimby, in a purple hooded flying suit. Everyone loved it!
And then there was Patricia Simon (read my earlier blog post about her here.) Although I did not fly in Patricia’s plane as originally planned, she was intent on making sure that I got my helicopter ride over the Channel.
Speaking of helicopters, of course there was Annette Mason, who clearly couldn’t get enough of flying. Bonus points for style: Annette’s shirt matched her helicopter’s design – sky blue with clouds.
What a wonderful group of women! And the men who supported the event also deserve praise. Thank you to all who made this event possible. I am honored that I was chosen to participate as the representative for America’s next generation of women pilots, and I hope to encourage women of all ages to get their pilot’s license. The biggest thing I have noticed that these women share is drive. I hope it’s infectious! I want to catch the flying bug.
Posted in Latest News
Tagged across the channel, aviation, english channel, Esther French, harriet quimby, le touquet, le touquet airport, pilot, woman pilot, Women of Aviation Week
Comments Off
Women Aviators Recognized at Harriet Quimby Celebration
The last few days have been a whirlwind, but let me describe for you what happened on Saturday, the big day of the “Across the Channel: Women Unifying Nations” event.
At Headcorn Aerodrome in England
Friday night, we arrived to Kent around midnight, and I was anxious that my exhaustion from a full day’s worth of travel would incapacitate me the next day. But after starting Saturday morning with a full English breakfast, I felt my energy renewed. I eagerly joined the pilots and passengers congregated at the Headcorn Aerodrome in Ashford, awaiting the final go-ahead to fly across the English Channel.
(As a side note, I was interested to learn that the grassy Headcorn still functions as a farm, set as it is in the middle of the countryside. I was told they keep llamas to keep the chickens safe from foxes. British guard llamas – who knew?)
Members of the media and a local crowd watched the preparations with anticipation. Because of cloudy conditions in Le Touquet, there was some uncertainty over whether the flight could take place on schedule. Some pilots had even canceled the day before because of the weather forecast. Although there was talk of changing course and flying instead along England’s south coast, the final decision kept us on our original route, with some slight alterations.
I was excited to fly in a Cessna 152 with Patricia Simon, an Irish pilot with whom I had earlier exchanged emails. But because she was unsure of whether she would make it across (because she did not have an instrument rating), she arranged for me to fly instead with Annette Mason. Although Annette’s husband, Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, was not able to make it, Annette was piloting a helicopter.
Crossing the Channel in a helicopter was not what I had envisioned – but although unexpected, it was every bit as exciting!
When we finally received the all clear, we quickly buckled ourselves into the helicopter (luggage safely stowed) and ascended into the air.
Thrilled to be flying in Annette's helicopter!
If I had thought Kent was picturesque before, viewing it from the air only confirmed and amplified my desire to stay a few more days in the U.K. – but on to France!
From our low vantage point in the helicopter, I could see the lush fields and rows of hedges lining the roadways and the charming cottages below. When we cleared the coast, the bright blue waves of the Channel greeted us. The sight of the water glistening in the sunlight filled me with a peaceful serenity, and I let out a sigh of pleasure.
I could imagine though, how it must have been for Harriet Quimby, venturing out into the unyielding fog, struggling to read her compass and hoping fervently that she would make it to the other side.
The crowd gathers to greet us at Le Touquet Airport.
When Le Touquet Airport came into view, a crowd had gathered to welcome us to France. The media rushed out to photograph Annette, and the mayor of Le Touquet warmly greeted us.
One by one the pilots landed, and the festivities began in earnest. Unfortunately, I couldn’t understand any of the French speeches, but the atmosphere was one of high spirits and celebration. A group of traditional performers played folk music and performed dances as people mingled with food and drink in hand.
At an official ceremony, Mireille Goyer, who organized the event for Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, spoke about the importance of encouraging women to become pilots and celebrating the achievements of women aviators such as Harriet Quimby.