I’m currently in France, home of many and varied light aircraft. After all, even Cessna manufactured aircraft here – well known locally as the ‘Rheims Cessna’, named after the town where it was built. Certainly, a day hasn’t passed during my stay without a variety of small aircraft passing overhead – most recently an unusual combination of a gyrocopter, a trike and what looked like a small powered glider, flying in loose formation. Unfortunately, by the time I’d emerged after rushing inside to get my camera, they were rapidly disappearing dots. And my daughter, on holiday at Arcachon, west of Bordeaux, took a hastily grabbed and slightly fuzzy picture of what was definitely a red Foxbat flying over the beach.

To top it all, my friend and videographer, Mike Rudd has sent me a clipping from The Times (of London), published on 25 August, which nicely describes the laid back and encouraging attitude to flying in France, which you can read here: La petite aviation

Here’s to all flyers of small aeroplanes! Vive la France!